American History and Baseball

Fresh and innovative, American History and Baseball: Liberty, Freedom, and the National Pastime is a unique approach that uses a thematic view of American history as a lens through which to understand baseball.



The text of each chapter is initially devoted to historical background, composed of various themes surveying key trends and events. Additionally, there is a corresponding focus on major developments in the evolution of baseball.



The book sets out to differentiate myth from history and to see American society as a nation of contradictions. Specific topics include liberty and freedom, myths and origins, excess and celebrity in the 1920s, imperialism and World War I, and the challenges and prosperity of post-war America.



The second edition features a new opening chapter that explores the concepts of liberty and freedom. Additional references that highlight definitions of key terms, a heightened focus on critical thinking, and new chapter summaries and study questions are included.



American History and Baseball can be used in courses on history, sports media, and issues in American sport.

Charles DeMotte holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Kansas. He is an adjunct professor in the Sociology/Anthropology Department at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he teaches a course in American society along with basic sociology. He has published several books on baseball and other subjects in addition to presenting at many conferences over the span of a number of years. His approach to baseball is to integrate it into the wider context of culture and society.