Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Baseball and American Culture: A History

For more than a hundred years, baseball has been woven into the American way of life. By the time they reach high school, children have learned about the struggles and triumphs of players like Jackie Robinson. Generations of family members often gather together to watch their favorite athletes in stadiums or on TV. Famous players like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Hank Aaron, Cal Ripken, and Derek Jeter have shown their athletic prowess on the field and captured the hearts of millions of fans, while the sport itself has influenced American culture like no other athletic endeavor. In Baseball and American Culture: A History, John P. Rossi builds on the research and writing of four generations of baseball historians. Tracing the intimate connections between developments in baseball and changes in American society, Rossi examines a number of topics including: ·the spread of the sport from the North to the South during the Civil War ·the impact on the sport during the Depression and World War II ·baseball's expansion in the post-war years ·the role of baseball in the Civil Rights movement ·the sport's evolution during the modern era Complimented by supplementary readings and discussion questions linked to each chapter, this book pays special attention to the ways in which baseball has influenced American culture and values. Baseball and American Culture is the ultimate resource for students, scholars, and fans interested in how this classic sport has helped shape the nation. Review Baseball and American Culture: A History is what it proposes to be: a history; in this case, in a remarkable single volume, thoughtful historical narrative by the author describing both game and nation, and for each chapter, well selected primary-source material, scholarly and popular essays (from The American Scholar and Smithsonian, for example), and documents of the period that illuminate. The synergy between the two topics--game and nation--consistently enlightens. . . . My final pleasure in reading this book was gained by a respectful journey through the selective but well-chosen bibliography. Here is where you see the real evolution of writing about baseball. . . the superb professionals now giving us richly researched books that are readable and reliable. . . . baseball titles and subjects are now in the hands of very talented people. Professor Rossi and his generation may be retiring, but somehow, I do believe we are in The Golden Age of baseball writing.--Society Rossi has put together an impressive and informative book. The scope of this work will prove helpful to readers, particularly to students new to baseball history, who will also appreciate Rossi's efficient chapter narratives. He makes several insightful links between baseball's development and the major themes in American history. . . Rossi's book is both enjoyable and useful.--NINE: A Journal of Baseball History & Culture Several excellent one volume histories of the game have appeared since the early 1990s that have attempted to synthesize the rapidly expanding knowledge base. John P. Rossi's work is the latest and most up-to-date of this genre. Essentially, it is a textbook for courses in baseball history and includes discussion questions and supplementary readings, but it is written in a style and presented in an organizational format that should make it appealing to baseball fans and the general public as well.--The Inside Game: The Official Newsletter of SABR's Deadball Era Committee Author of the well-regarded The National Game, Rossi (emer., La Salle University) makes another contribution with his latest book, which combines sharp synthetic overviews, primary documents, and works by others delving into the sport. After examining baseball's origins, Rossi easily courses through the late 19th century when baseball became a business, the emergence of both "monopoly baseball" and the American League, the period leading up to the Black Sox scandal, the Ruthia