The Baseball Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History

Hollywood films and television shows have long been inspired by baseball, depicting the game, its players, fans, and place in American society. This study examines nearly one hundred years of baseball-themed movies, documentaries, and TV shows, including classic baseball movies like "The Natural" and biopics that mythologize and demystify legendary figures. The Baseball Film charts the variety of ways that Hollywood presents the game as integral to American life, from showing little league as a site of parent-child bonding to depicting fans' lifelong love affairs with their home teams.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 14 January 2022
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Baseball has long held a revered status as the quintessential American pastime, and it comes as no surprise that the sport has served as a rich source of inspiration for numerous Hollywood films and television series. However, the question remains: how do these works portray the game, its players, fans, and its place in American society? In order to explore this intriguing topic, this study delves into a comprehensive examination of nearly one hundred years of baseball-themed movies, documentaries, and TV shows. Film and sports scholar Aaron Baker takes a deep dive into a selection of works, including iconic films such as "A League of Their Own" (1992) and "Sugar" (2008), which shed light on the underrepresented contributions of female and immigrant players. At the same time, classic baseball movies like "The Natural" evoke a sense of nostalgia for a time when native-born white men could use the game as a means to achieve the American dream. Baker further examines how biopics have both mythologized and demystified legendary figures such as Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and Fernando Valenzuela.

The Baseball Film serves as a valuable guide, charting the diverse ways in which Hollywood presents baseball as an integral part of American life. It explores various aspects of the sport, from depicting little league as a platform for parent-child bonding to capturing the lifelong love affairs between fans and their home teams. The book encompasses a wide range of films, spanning from the iconic "Bull Durham" (1988) to the beloved "The Bad News Bears" (1976). By examining these works, readers gain a profound understanding of baseball's cinematic significance and its enduring impact on American culture.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 154 x 229 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813596884