Baseball and the American Dream American Baseball History Arvada West Senior High Thomson

Shapers of the American Dream

Marvin Miller Marvin Miller –Modern reserve clause today –Major League Baseball Players Association = Most important & powerful union in history

Shapers of the American Dream Jackie Robinson: Jackie Robinson: –Baseball stood in the way of the American Dream = Race –Baseball drew a color line –U.S. erased the color line –1948 – U.S. Army integrated – Brown vs. BOE –Most important figure in the Civil Rights Movement = Jackie Robinson –Up until the 1960’s baseball was the National Pastime

Shapers of the American Dream Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis: Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis: –Clean up baseball and save it –People could not wrap their minds around the fact baseball was corrupt → gambling (1800’s & 1900’s) → 1919 Black Sox Scandal –Pete Rose & the HOF = Ethics Debate

Shapers of the American Dream AAGPBL: AAGPBL: –Women were involved with baseball –Mid-size mid-western cities –Close enough to travel by buses –Women clean up the game???

Shapers of the American Dream Will a woman be in the MLB?: Will a woman be in the MLB?: –Women in the dugout? –A female manager?  Women thrive with women  Men are predatory

Embracing the American Dream

Ted Williams = Defending the American Dream Ted Williams = Defending the American Dream Television → Shaped the American Dream → ESPN → Reshaped America Television → Shaped the American Dream → ESPN → Reshaped America Geographically → No change in baseball ( ) Geographically → No change in baseball ( ) –After 1953 → Baseball expanded → Some embraced, some balked –Expansion/Shifting franchises → After 1953

Dreaming the American Dream

Magical, spiritual realm to baseball → Foul lines go on forever Magical, spiritual realm to baseball → Foul lines go on forever No time limit = Baseball can go on forever No time limit = Baseball can go on forever Mystic value/mysticism Mystic value/mysticism Green = Rural, country “feel” Green = Rural, country “feel” The Natural → book strikes out → dealing with life & failures → not always successful The Natural → book strikes out → dealing with life & failures → not always successful Sell baseball for what it is Sell baseball for what it is

History and the American (?) Dream

Internationalizing of baseball = Saved baseball Internationalizing of baseball = Saved baseball

Global Dreamers

A.G. Spalding: A.G. Spalding: –All-Star Travel team → Exhibition games → Market baseball –What Americans are all about –Americans perceiving greatness → Projecting ourselves before we were a powerhouse –Not yet global leaders

Global Dreamers Globalization of the game: Globalization of the game: –1934 → NYY & Babe Ruth → Visit Japan –After 1934 → Japanese Professional Baseball

Global Dreamers

Japan and Baseball: Japan and Baseball: –One sport –Year round play –Better fundamentals –Mirrors lifestyle & culture –Popular

Baseball and the American Dream?

Future of Baseball Very bright Very bright Foreigners have bought into the American Dream Foreigners have bought into the American Dream MLB camps in third world countries MLB camps in third world countries