Baseball and American Society

Fresh and innovative, the anthology Baseball and American Society: How a Game Reflects the American Experience takes the great American pastime and uses it as a lens through which to view history and society. The book is a critical examination of American society, primarily from the Civil War to the present. The first part of the text is devoted to historical background, with thematic chapters surveying key trends and events. The second part focuses specifically on major events and trends in the evolution of baseball. Political themes and social issues such as racism and the development of American capitalism are placed in the context of history. Specific topics include excess and celebrity in the 1920s, American capitalism and the rise of organized baseball, imperialism and World War I, and challenges and expansion in post-war America. The book provides a wealth of background information for courses on American society, as well as those that investigate the impact of sport in society. Baseball and American Society can be used in courses on history, sports media, and issues in American sport.