Building on his previous work, Baseball and the American Dream, Elias (Law and Politics, U of San Francisco) discusses the use of baseball to further the aims of US foreign policy from the Revolutionary War to the present. Citing examples from various US military and diplomatic engagements, the volume explores baseball's role in the promotion of American ideals around the world. Extensively notated and containing several black and white photographs and illustrations, this work will appeal to readers interested in US foreign policy, US cultural history and baseball fans. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Is the face of American baseball throughout the world that of goodwill ambassador or ugly American? Has baseball crafted its own image or instead been at the mercy of broader forces shaping our society and the globe?The Empire Strikes Out gives us the sweeping story of how baseball and America are intertwined in the export of the American way.”From the Civil War to George W. Bush and the Iraq War, we see baseball’s role in developing the American empire, first at home and then beyond our shores. And from Albert Spalding and baseball’s first World Tour to Bud Selig and the World Baseball Classic, we witness the globalization of America’s national pastime and baseball’s role in spreading the American dream. Besides describing baseball’s frequent and often surprising connections to America’s presence around the world, Elias assesses the effects of this relationship both on our foreign policies and on the sport itself and asks whether baseball can play a positive role or rather only reinforce America’s dominance around the globe. Like Franklin Foer inHow Soccer Explains the World, Elias is driven by compelling stories, unusual events, and unique individuals. His seamless integration of original research and compelling analysis makes this a baseball book that’s about more than just sports.
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