Baseball historian John Thorn debunks baseball’s creation story and reveals that from its earliest days. He reveals how baseball was a vehicle for gambling, a proxy form of class warfare, that was infused with racism like the larger society, and was corrupted by hustlers and shady entrepreneurs. In Baseball in The Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game, Thorn traces the rise of the New York version of the game over other variations popular in Massachusetts and Philadelphia, and tells a tale full of heroes and scoundrels, scandal, greed, and glory.
Guests:
John Thorn
About The Leonard Lopate Show
Host Leonard Lopate lets you in on the best conversations with writers, actors, ex-presidents, dancers, scientists, comedians, historians, grammarians, curators, filmmakers, and do-it-yourself experts.
Hosted by Leonard Lopate
Links
- 2012 Election Coverage
- 25 Years of Lopate
- American History XX
- Backstory
- Food Fridays
- Globavores: Food Travels Around The World Since 1492
- Guest Hosts
- Guest Picks
- Please Explain
- The Gurus of How-To
- The Leonard Lopate Show Book Club
- The Lodown
- The Story of New York in 10 Objects
- Tributes
- Underappreciated
- Underreported
- Web Extras
- Word Maven: Patricia T. O'Conner
Show Archive
Show Archive
Comments [7]
Born and raised in Scotland in the 1940's. We played rounders in the street from April to September. Ro from Soho has provided an accurate description of the game.
Bat-&-ball games have been played "since there were boys"? I guess keeping girls out dates back just as long! So I'm glad--& surprised--at the mention of "base-ball" in Jane Austen as a girls' game! (Yes, I wasn't allowed to play Little League baseball....)
Theresa from Brooklyn -- That's very interesting, thanks. Your comment had me googling the subject and I came across this quip by an internet wag: "The original title of Pride and Prejudice was Pride, Prejudice, and the Suicide Squeeze."
I played a game called "Rounders" in Ireland in the 60's at my all girl school. We had a bat and competed with other schools.
Please ask your guest about 'Rounders'? I am Brit who grew up playing 'Rounders' which has a very long, many centuries (since Tudor times), tradition in the UK.
The structure and layout of the field is strikingly similar: four bases around a central field with a 'bowler' or pitcher who threw the ball to the batter who stood in front of the defending catcher. The bat was similarly round. Each team of nine took turns in batting and fielding. After the batter had successfully hit the ball, he/she then ran from one base to another to be safe trying to make a full 'round'.
There is no structural similarity to cricket.
"Base-ball" is mentioned in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (1799). Seems to have been a game that was played by girls (!)
Called strikes are introduced in the 1850's. Before that, did the batter have an unlimited number of pitches?
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.