Title/Author:
“One Nation Under
Baseball: How the 1960’s Collided With the National Pastime” by John Florio
& Ouisie Shapiro
Tags:
Baseball, history,
society
Publish date:
April 1, 2017
Length:
256 pages
Rating:
4 of 5 stars (excellent)
Review:
No matter what time frame or era is mentioned, one can usually find a
connection to baseball and the political and social culture of the times. That
was especially true in the 1960’s and how they intertwine is illustrated in
this book by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro.
Most of the important social issues and important events of the decade
and are
mentioned and their connections to baseball are documented as well. There
is the
moon landing by the Apollo 11 crew in 1969 – and baseball games were
paused to
announce the landing generating cheers and tears from fans. The
connection
between the New York Mets and the Beatles was mentioned - or more
appropriately, a certain Mets employee who served the Beatles at their
historic Shea Stadium concert.
The most compelling writing for both
society and baseball was saved for the topic of race relations. One of the more
poignant stories was shared by Atlanta Braves slugger Henry Aaron when he
talked about hearing dishes breaking in a restaurant where he ate a meal. He
stated that it was the belief of the owner that no future customers would want
to eat off of the same plate from which a black man ate, so the workers were
told to break the dishes instead of wash them. There is detailed writing about
the important events on this issue such as the March on Washington as well as
rioting across the country.
The same attention to detail is paid
to baseball issues of the decade and how they connect to the political and
social fabric of the country as well. Topics
that are covered in this manner include the unionization of the players by
Marvin Miller, the publication of “Ball Four” and the portrayal of the game and
the challenge to baseball’s reserve clause by Curt Flood. There is also detailed writing about the
change in how sports were covered by newspaper writers, in which the stories
and questions asked were not always flattering to the players or teams. These reporters, called “chipmunks”, were the
writers who revolutionized the way baseball was covered.
At times the book reads more like a
history lesson about the 1960’s instead of a baseball book – and that makes it
an even better book to read if one is truly interested in how the game is
connected to the American mood. This is recommend for those who like reading
history books, whether that history is about baseball or about America.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the
book in exchange for an honest review.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying links:
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