Change the way you think about America's favorite pastime with this 24-lecture course on the growth of early baseball, produced in collaboration with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America’s Pastime
It's your turn at bat in this family-friendly trip back in time to the early, pre-Cracker Jack days of America's favorite pastime.
Rated 3 out of
5
by
AndyG from
"Early" Baseball and U.S. Social Studies Entwined
If you are anticipating a grand serving of facts, anecdotes and tales about the early years of Baseball (up to about 1920), you may come away somewhat disappointed by this program. It attempts to entwine observations and commentaries regarding American society from the mid-nineteenth century through the first decades of the twentieth with the development of America's sporting institution of Baseball. Sometimes it works well, too many other times it falls flat and/or seems to not match up with the lecture title. The presenter's knowledge and understanding about Baseball's broad and deep history is clearly evident; the program should have stayed within that "playing field" as those discussions are the program's best by far.
Date published: 2024-10-20
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Sigo from
The first four
and then ditch it.I tried to watch this with fam. I was the only one who held out to #4.
Date published: 2024-06-17
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Don Diego from
Sometimes interesting, sometimes not
Some interesting information here, but not enough to warrant a 24 lecture course.
Date published: 2023-12-13
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Dano51 from
Tech Trouble
I have bought other titles and no major problems. This title has problems. It just stops and says "ERROR UNKNOWN." I called tech support and spoke to a tech person that was of no help. She spoke quickly and past me. She seemed in a hurry. Problem not solved.
Date published: 2021-08-31
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Howard 13 from
Impressive but Missing Something Important
Thorough research and great delivery insofar as it went. However, failure to discuss or even mention more recent gambling and PED use scandals in such a comprehensive course seems like a wish to whitewash or forget about them. I believe that most of your viewers and listeners would find it more interesting and important to talk about Pete Rose and
Barry Bonds than Joe Jackson and Buck Weaver.
Date published: 2020-10-28
Rated 2 out of
5
by
StudyArtsandSciences from
Too few baseball artifacts; too many spoken facts
I watched this course as part of my GreatCoursesPlus subscription. While the material is presented with genuine car and enthusiasm, there is too much talk and not enough photo/video of Baseball Hall of Fame artifacts. More lectures should have been set up using artifacts, the way the gold baseballs from the Eckford Club were used in lecture 3. WIthout the artifacts, the course could be more appropriate as an audio podcast. And I would love to see a lecture about different scorecards and the history of keeping score. So this course feel a little short of my expectations.
Date published: 2020-09-26
Rated 5 out of
5
by
2TwinsFans from
Amazing history
My mother and I have watched a number of Great Courses together and enjoyed them all, but this one hit the ball out of the park. My mom is 93 and remembers listening to games on the radio with her dad. This brought back many memories.
The amount of research was phenomenal. (Just look at the list of photo credits.) Not only did we learn more about our beloved game, but we learned so much history as well. Transportation, advertising, racism, and much more of American and world history came alive.
I hope that someday I will be able to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame, and when I do I will have so much more to look for and appreciate.
Date published: 2020-09-16
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Christopher B from
Comprehensive review of baseball's formative years
As an Englishman looking in from the outside on 'America's National Pastime' I was able to view this course in a different light to those who have grown up with baseball as a significant element of their culture.
I thought that Mr Markusen did a great job producing a serious and thorough study of the sport's development during its formative years which met the academic standards expected of the Great Courses.
Personally I was glad it was like this and not 'dumbed down' or presented in a popular culture manner and I did not find it any less interesting because of this.
If you want colourful, biographical accounts of the game's personalities of this era, they can surely be found elsewhere from less academically-focused outlets.
Date published: 2020-09-02
Overview
About
Bruce Markusen is the Manager of Digital and Outreach Learning in the education department at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, in Cooperstown, New York, where he teaches students through virtual field trip technology. He has also worked in the Hall of Fame’s research and programming departments, and he was formerly a teacher at The Farmers’ Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum. Mr. Markusen has extensive media experience as both a broadcaster and writer, and in addition to his educational role, he narrates many of the Hall of Fame’s video productions, including biographies of numerous Hall of Fame members.
Prior to working at the Hall of Fame, Mr. Markusen hosted a nightly sports talk show for more than eight years in Utica, New York. He took calls from listeners, interviewed athletes and coaches, and contributed to prerecorded programs. Additionally, Mr. Markusen has served as a consultant for the Smithsonian Institution’s online and traveling exhibits on Roberto Clemente.
As a historian of baseball, Mr. Markusen has written several books about the sport, including A Baseball Dynasty: Charlie Finley’s Swingin’ A’s, which earned the Seymour Medal from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) as 1998’s best book of baseball history. He has also written biographies of Roberto Clemente, Ted Williams, and Orlando Cepeda, as well as a compilation of short stories about the New York Mets.
Mr. Markusen has received the Cliff Kachline Award, given out by SABR’s Utica-Cooperstown Chapter to an individual whose contributions to SABR and baseball reflect the achievements and qualities of SABR founding member and long-time Cooperstown resident Cliff Kachline. He has also received the McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Award for his article, “The First All-Black Lineup,” about the historic lineup employed by the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 1, 1971.
Trailer
01: Ground Rules: Baseball before Babe Ruth
The year 1920 is considered a pivotal year in baseball, when a sense of uniformity in the game was finally achieved. But what about the decades before? Travel back to the years before 1920—a time when changes in the game were rapid, dramatic, and often surprising.
29 min
02: Early Bat and Ball Games
Take a look back at the very beginnings of baseball and discover how and why the early version of the game evolved in the middle of the 19th century. Learn how early clubs like the Gothams and the Knickerbockers helped repurpose a familiar child’s game so it could be played by urban adults.
30 min
03: The Era of Amateur Baseball Clubs
Explore the rise of amateur baseball clubs in the United States. The tour starts with Brooklyn’s Eckford Club, whose outings primarily served as refreshing countryside excursions. Then, go back still further to follow the rise of the Knickerbocker Club of New York City and the significance of their 1845 decision to write down the rules of the game.
32 min
04: The Dawn of Professional Baseball
In this lecture, learn how the game of baseball moved toward professionalism—and what made professionalization so polarizing. Central to this lecture is future Hall of Famer Harry Wright, who helped pave the way for professional baseball’s success by assembling a talented group of players (and touting their refinement and decorum).
32 min
05: Baseball’s Many Leagues and Associations
Learn how, after a tumultuous three decades, baseball finally found a formula for 20th-century success: leagues and associations. Topics include the transformations of minor leagues into major ones, the competitive relationships between leagues, and the national agreement of 1883 that paved the way for what became known as “organized baseball.”
32 min
06: How Baseball Created the World Series
One effective way to increase public confidence in the outcome of competitive baseball? Offer a valuable prize to the winners. Chart the turbulent evolution of the post-season series: a story filled with controversy, sabotage, peace agreements, and injuries, culminating in the first World Series between the Boston Americans and the National League Pirates.
32 min
07: Baseball Grows by Hitting the Road
In the second half of the 19th century, advancing technology offered greater access to faraway places, which opened new avenues for baseball. From national to world tours, take a closer look at how baseball’s popularity continued to spread, and how men like Jimmy Ryan and Albert Goodwill Spalding helped set it all in motion.
30 min
08: Sacred Ground: Baseball’s Early Ballparks
In this lecture, survey the history of ballparks from the Elysian Fields in Hoboken to Wrigley Field to Fenway Park and beyond. You’ll learn how ballparks were defined by their surroundings, the rise of “infields” and “outfields,” the idiosyncratic dimensions and sizes of 19th-century ballparks, the state-of-the-art architectural elements of 20th-century ballparks, and more.
32 min
09: The Development of Baseball’s Rules
Here, Mr. Markusen helps you make sense of the litany of rule changes that took place in the 75 years between 1845 (when the Knickerbocker Club of New York City framed the first written rules) and 1920 (when it became customary to replace the baseball on a regular basis).
29 min
10: The Evolution of Protective Equipment
Face masks, chest protectors, catcher’s mitts, fielder’s gloves—explore how protective equipment became more and more a part of baseball (after much tinkering and adjusting). Also, consider complaints by “old-time” baseball fans that the proliferation of protective equipment robbed the sport of two crucial elements: skill and courage.
31 min
11: The Role of Women in Baseball’s Early Days
First, examine the role of women in baseball as spectators whose presence was expected to prevent coarse behavior by male fans. Then, explore how colleges like Vassar allowed a select number of 19th-century women to play baseball without scorn. Finally, consider the changes that the “new woman” brought, both in the stands and on the field.
30 min
12: Black Baseball before the Negro Leagues
After Emancipation, hopes of baseball becoming a vista of racial harmony were quickly checked. Explore the intersection of baseball and race, from the success of Minor League Baseball players like Frank Grant and George Stovey to the Negro Leagues, which became one of the largest industries to be predominantly owned and operated by African Americans.
32 min
13: Prejudice and Diversity in Early Baseball
Turn to another form of injustice in baseball: a prejudice against minority groups that contradicted the idea of the baseball diamond as a beacon of equality. Investigate the setbacks and triumphs of Irish Americans, Jewish players, Native Americans, and those with physical handicaps as they fought (and continue to fight) for inclusion.
30 min
14: Baseball Grows through the Press
How did early newspaper editors cover baseball games and decide what, exactly, to write about? What makes Henry Chadwick such a monumental figure in early baseball writing? How did the introduction of the box score help baseball reporters with their jobs? How did post-game access to players change the nature of reporting?
31 min
15: Baseball Becomes a Game of Numbers
Most baseball fans take batting averages for granted. But there was a time when statistics were new enough to baseball that they were considered glamorous. Explore everything from how early spectators tracked scores to the professional problems with emphasizing stats to how these numbers began to appear on baseball cards.
31 min
16: Baseball: A Game for the Fans
Mr. Markusen reveals how baseball grew to become the national pastime it is today. You’ll learn about the origins of both “fans” and “cranks”; the increased emphasis on baseball as a wholesome family experience; and the magic ability of souvenirs, keepsakes, and autographs to preserve the ballpark experience.
31 min
17: Baseball and Our Common Culture
In this lecture, learn to better appreciate baseball’s longstanding ties to American culture. Get the story behind baseball’s connection to poetry and fiction (“Casey at the Bat”), music (“Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), food (CRACKER JACK®), collectibles (baseball cards), and even language (terms such as “bush league” and “home run”).
30 min
18: The Business behind the National Pastime
There’s a business side to baseball that goes back to the amateur clubs of the game’s earliest years. In this lecture on the economics of America’s pastime, explore early resentment about paying for tickets; the rise of advertising and promotions to increase fan allegiance; and the emergence of brand-empowering logos, colors, and nicknames.
33 min
19: Players, Owners, and the Reserve Clause
The reserve clause (or the “five-man rule”) played a crucial role in every labor war that took place during the first half-century of professional baseball, and was standard practice until the 1970s. Trace the events that would lead to a fight against the right of teams to reserve players—a struggle to which today’s big leaguers are indebted.
30 min
20: American Politics and Early Baseball
For over a century, U.S. presidents have regularly rung in the new baseball year by throwing out the first pitch on Opening Day. From President Taft (the first to throw a pitch) to President Eisenhower (who initially underestimated the game’s cultural importance), learn about the relationship between presidents and baseball.
29 min
21: Baseball’s Rituals and Traditions
Why do fielders throw the ball “around the horn” after a strikeout? Why do fans perform “the wave”? When did the “seventh-inning stretch” become a thing? Why do managers wear uniforms? Uncover the roots of these and other rituals and traditions, and the powerful roles they play in baseball.
28 min
22: The Impact of War on Baseball
Examine how World War I encroached upon the comparatively tranquil national pastime. You’ll discover the talents of baseball-playing military companies, including one group of “Buffalo soldiers,” as well as a growing emphasis on physical fitness on the field and patriotism in the stands (exemplified by the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”).
30 min
23: Scandals and Deception on the Diamond
The 1919 Black Sox scandal (often thought of as “baseball’s original sin”) marked a turning point in how Americans thought about the right way to play baseball. Join the debate over the complexity of this and other baseball scandals, and the moral quandaries of both deception and the appearance of deception.
30 min
24: How Changing Baseballs Changed the Game
Today, we take for granted the idea that every ball used during a game is essentially identical, but this wasn’t so prior to 1920. In this final lecture, explore early variations of baseballs (including the “lemon peel ball”), the evolution of batting orders and the foul strike rule, and more.
33 min
