Fresh and innovative, the anthology takes the great American pastime and uses it as a lens through which to view history and society.

The book is a critical examination of American society, primarily from the Civil War to the present. The first part of the text is devoted to historical background, with thematic chapters surveying key trends and events. The second part focuses specifically on major events and trends in the evolution of baseball.

Political themes and social issues such as racism and the development of American capitalism are placed in the context of history. Specific topics include excess and celebrity in the 1920s, American capitalism and the rise of organized baseball, imperialism and World War I, and challenges and expansion in post-war America.

The book provides a wealth of background information for courses on American society, as well as those that investigate the impact of sport in society. Baseball and American Society 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 a professor at the State University of New York at Cortland, where he teaches courses in modern western civilization and American society. He has been giving conference presentations and writing about history and baseball for a number of years, often linking the sport he loves with his chosen field of study in order to shed light on culture and society. Dr. DeMotte is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He lives near Ithaca, NY.