Cambridge Companion to Baseball

Baseball is much more than a game. As the American nationalpastime, it has reflected the political and cultural concerns of USsociety for over 200 years, and generates passions and loyaltiesunique in American society. This Companion examines baseball inculture, baseball as culture, and the game's global identity.Contributors contrast baseball's massive, big-business present withits romanticized origins and its evolution against the backdrop ofAmerican and world history. The chapters cover topics such asbaseball in the movies, baseball and mass media, and baseball inJapan and Latin America. Between the chapters are vivid profiles oficonic characters including Babe Ruth, Ichiro and Walter O'Malley.Crucial moments in baseball history are revisited, ranging from the1919 Black Sox gambling scandal to recent controversies oversteroid use. A unique book for fans and scholars alike, thisCompanion explains the enduring importance of baseball in Americaand beyond.