HIS 252 - Baseball: The American Game (1)

In many interesting ways the history of baseball from the mid-1800’s onward reflects the history of the United States. This seminar will examine the origins of the game, its evolution to a professional sport and then big business, legal aspects of the game, integration, and unionization. Students will write several papers and do a little research project about baseball and American society. Find out how Cornelius McGillicuddy, Jackie Robinson, Alexander Cartwright, Curt Flood, John Montgomery Ward, Alta Weiss, and Andy Messersmith - ballplayers all - reveal something important about American history and society. The relationship of the national game to changes in the country such as industrialization, urbanization, labor unionism, and integration. No S/U option.
(Humanities)