How did baseball influence America - 821 Words

Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, Jacques Barzun, the social commentator, wrote more than a quarter of a century ago. Fundamentally, Barzun said in an interview last week, things havent changed. Baseball still reflects our society, its just that our society has changed. Baseball, Barzun says, once expressed the unification of America, the teamwork involved. When we look at the triumphs of American technology on a large scale, he says, we see the fine workings of a national machinery - everybody in every department cooperating effectively with no gaps in time. It was like the making of a double play perhaps. Or a relay in which nine men speedily clicked together to†¦show more content†¦Sure, Kid... Atta Boy, Kid, keep swinging from the heels. Surely there were those who resented Ruth making more than the President of the United States, but his larger-than-life qualities overshadowed the money aspect. Today, though, the big bucks intrude on our summer devotions, says Angell. A lot of people find it insupportable, and against the work ethic, that young men can make so much money. Youre supposed to work hard for not much money at something you dont like when youre young, and improve on that as you get older. And this idea of players making large amounts of money also says something uncomfortable about our society, where a ballplayer can make so much more than, say, a teacher. But its not the fault of the players. The money is obviously there. It seems like the owners have a death wish about theShow MoreRelatedJackie Robinson s Influence On Baseball And America1392 Words   |  6 PagesRobinson’s Influence in Baseball and America Baseball has been known as America’s great sport since the 1920’s. Many people love to watch the games and create their own fantasy teams because they look up to the wide, diverse players on each team. Every team consists of males of different races and this helps bring culture into the great game. Having such a big diversity in one sport makes it easier for more people to enjoy because there is something in it for every person. However, baseball has notRead MoreBaseball And Its Impact On Baseball1736 Words   |  7 PagesBaseball was introduced to America in the 1800s. As the game of baseball started to become popular, many people became interested in the game. Baseball fanatics fell in love with the sport, but not everyone could play. Racial discrimination found its way to baseball when the game was first discovered and created many controversies that prevented many colored players from playing the game because of their skin color. This could be part of the reason w hy in today’s culture, you do not see many blackRead MoreBreaking The Slump : Baseball934 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Baseball is America’s pastime, and that record is absolutely huge in the States.† This quote by tennis player Pete Sampras defines the reason Charles Alexander wrote the book Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Great Depression Era. Alexander has complied a book about what baseball was like during the years when America lived in a time of great poverty and economic troubles. Alexander writes with the aim of writing a chronology of baseball and how it the happenings of the world influenced thisRead MoreWhere Have You Gone, Joe Dimaggio And Garfunkel s Song Mrs. Robinson1518 Words   |  7 PagesGarfunkel’s song Mrs. Robinson has sprung up much controversy in America, since it was released in the year 1968. Many tragedies and changes had happened in the years between when Joe DiMaggio retired from his baseball career and when this song was written. People wanted a happier time in the United States, like when Joe DiMaggio was a major icon among the American people. Joe DiMaggio left behind a legacy in the history of America, giving hope to not only Americans, but immigrants as well who wereRead MoreJackie Robinsons Leadership Style1441 Words   |  6 Pageswillingly follow and listen to as well as someone who has the ability to influence and motivate others. An outstanding example of a great leader is Jackie Robinson. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson shocked the world and changed not only the history of sports, but changed America. Facing the criticism, ignoring the racial slurs, and following his true passion, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Jack Roosevelt Robinson, better known as Jackie Robinson, was born inRead MoreJackie Robinson : The Baseball Player978 Words   |  4 Pages Jackie Robinson is often seen as the baseball player to put blacks on the map. Though, what Troy argues in â€Å"Fences† is completely different. He believes that Jackie Robinson was the most successful baseball player not necessarily the best. Troy believed that he, in fact, knew teams that Jackie Robinson would not make. He also knew of many black baseball players that came before Jackie Robinson that simply did not a chance. This can relate to athletes that never made it to the big leagues becauseRead MoreBaseball s Great Experiment : Jackie Robinson1424 Words   |  6 Pageswith something other than his words; he broke down segregation in America with a bat and a glove. Jules Tygiel certainly spent a lot of time writing about the importance of Jackie Robinson and the influence he had on and off the baseball diamond in his novel, Baseball’s Great Experiment. Before reading this novel, I considered myself to be knowledgeable of Robinson and how important he was to the game, but what I didn’t know was how hard it was for Robinson and other Blacks to break this barrierRead MoreJackie Robinson And The Civil Rights Movement1432 Words   |  6 PagesBaseball has always been more than just a sport to the American people. For many, it is a way of life, teaching not just brute skills but life lessons and morals. In the wake of World War I, racism and bigotry abounded in the United States. Even though the integration of schools had recently been instated, Jim Crow laws severely limited the activity of African Americans in society, resulting in baseball teams being limited to whites. Jackie Robinson made an important step in gaining rights for AfricanRead MoreEssay about American Influences of Walt Whitman1476 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Influences of Walt Whitman In his poems and life, Walt Whitman celebrated the human spirit and the human body. He sang the praises of democracy and marveled at the technological advances of his era. His direct poetic style shocked many of his contemporaries. This style, for which Whitman is famous, is in direct relation to several major American cultural developments. The development of American dictionaries, the growth of baseball, the evolution of Native American policy, and the developmentRead MoreAfrican Americans in Baseball1142 Words   |  5 PagesFewer Blacks. The New York Times This article is about the declination of blacks in the game of baseball. It begins by talking about how successful blacks were in baseball from 1981-1997. Blacks such as Tony Gwynn, Tim Raines, and Gary Sheffield were winning National League Batting Titles 16 out of those 17 years. From 1998-2004, only one black player has won the batting title. As a huge baseball fan, I never knew that stat and find it very interesting. The article also entails that black players