Description
Book SynopsisCovering everything from
Bull Durham (1988) to
The Bad News Bears (1976) this book examines how baseball-themed films and TV series depict the game, its players, fans, and place in American society. It considers works that nostalgically lionize white male heroes alongside films and television that dramatize the contributions of female and BIPOC players.
Trade Review“Aaron Baker’s history of how film has represented baseball as a component of American society stands alone. Replete with exceptionally perceptive observations about dozens of baseball films, this book is a 'must' read for students of the game." -- Benjamin G. Rader * author of Baseball: A History of America's Game, 4th ed. *
"An insightful and necessary analysis of baseball as a sport and a film subgenre through a sociopolitical lens examining race, gender, sexuality, globalization, and more." * The Brooklyn Rail *
“Aaron Baker’s history of how film has represented baseball as a component of American society stands alone. Replete with exceptionally perceptive observations about dozens of baseball films, this book is a 'must' read for students of the game." -- Benjamin G. Rader * author of Baseball: A History of America's Game, 4th ed. *
"An insightful and necessary analysis of baseball as a sport and a film subgenre through a sociopolitical lens examining race, gender, sexuality, globalization, and more." * The Brooklyn Rail *
Table of ContentsContents
Introduction: Baseball According to Satchel Paige: “Don’t look back.
Something might be gaining on you.”
1 Hollywood Baseball Films: Nostalgic White Masculinity or the National
Pastime?
2 The Business of Baseball
3 Screening Who Gets to Play
4 The Glocalized Game
5 Fanball
6 Learning the Game
Conclusion: The Show for the Thinking Fan and Going Online
List of Baseball Films and Television Shows
