From my first trip to Fenway as a wide-eyed six year old to discovering Bill James’ scientific approach to the sport in his Baseball Abstract at age fifteen, “America’s pastime” has been a central part of my life. What began as childhood escapism, however, has since taken on greater importance in my mind. It has been said, I believe quite rightly, that baseball is a microcosm of America’s successes and contradictions. It’s a symbol of egalitarianism, national pride, and unity with a troubled history of racism, fraud, and violence.
As an aspiring historian of the United States, I am fascinated by baseball’s past not only as social and cultural history but also as an incisive look into the American psyche, providing important lessons about the
As an aspiring historian of the United States, I am fascinated by baseball’s past not only as social and cultural history but also as an incisive look into the American psyche, providing important lessons about the