Offers a history of African American exclusion from baseball, and assesses the changing racial attitudes that led up to Jackie Robinson's acceptance by the Brooklyn Dodgers

The crack of the bat, the cheering of fans and the agility and athleticism of the players are all characteristics that many people fondly associate with Major League Baseball. However, the players' strike and owners' lockout in 1994 and 1995 brought the game under great scrutiny, revealing a side of

The release of Ken Burns' documentary Baseball in 1994 and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's debut in the major leagues in 1997 once again brought attention to the integration of baseball. Integration did not guarantee equality or even begin to solve baseball's race-related struggles. In some

This collection of essays by experts on baseball history focuses on the national pastime as a marker of our times and our cultural ideals. Topics include the rise of baseball in the nineteenth century, the influence of iconic players from Honus Wagner to Jackie Robinson, the fates of great teams

It has been said that sport is the great leveler, that on the playing field everyone is of equal status. Through the years, however, few institutions have better embodied America's ideals and prejudices than baseball. Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers marked the first time an African American participated