The Empire Strikes Out: How Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign Policy and Promoted the American Way Abroad - Hardcover

9781595581952: The Empire Strikes Out: How Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign Policy and Promoted the American Way Abroad
View all copies of this ISBN edition:
 
 
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.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From the Publisher:
Mixing sharp political analysis and compelling lore, an eye-opening look at baseball's relationship to American empire, from the revolutionary era to the present

Advance praise:
The Empire Strikes Out is a rare and wonderful combination of splendid scholarship and lively writing. Robert Elias' affection for baseball illuminates its pages, even when he is unearthing episodes of organized baseball's racism, jingoism, unbridled militarism and insensitivity to other cultures. Simultaneously, and gracefully, the book describes the development of baseball and its impact overseas as a sort of quasi instrument of American foreign policy.
The recent internationalization of major-league rosters makes the book particularly timely. A truly fine work. Highly recommended.
- Roger Kahn, author of The Boys of Summer, The Era, Memories of Summer, October Men, Joe and Marilyn, etc.

Lively and provocative, this is the "big picture" look at the entangled, and sometimes nefarious, relationship between our national pastime and American diplomacy, militarism, and globalization. Well crafted, it is, at once, nuanced, imaginative, and provocative. Robert Elias' provides a riveting account of how our national pastime has been part and parcel of American diplomacy, militarism, and globalization.This is the definitive account of how baseball has been used to sell and export the American dream.
- George Gmelch, author of Baseball Without Borders, Inside Pitch, In the Ballpark, etc.

About the Author:
Robert Elias teaches law and politics at the University of San Francisco. He's the author and editor of eight books, most recently Baseball and the American Dream, and a baseball novel, The Deadly Tools of Ignorance. He lives in Mill Valley, California.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

  • PublisherNew Press, The
  • Publication date2010
  • ISBN 10 1595581952
  • ISBN 13 9781595581952
  • BindingHardcover
  • Number of pages448
  • Rating

Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace

Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
Ergodebooks
(Houston, TX, U.S.A.)

Book Description Hardcover. Condition: New. Illustrated. 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 baseballs role in developing the American empire, first at home and then beyond our shores. And from Albert Spalding and baseballs first World Tour to Bud Selig and the World Baseball Classic, we witness the globalization of Americas national pastime and baseballs role in spreading the American dream. Besides describing baseballs frequent and often surprising connections to Americas 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 Americas 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 thats about more than just sports. Seller Inventory # DADAX1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 20.85
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
GF Books, Inc.
(Hawthorne, CA, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 1595581952-2-1

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 31.04
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
Book Deals
(Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-1595581952-new

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 31.05
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: FREE
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
GoldenWavesOfBooks
(Fayetteville, TX, U.S.A.)

Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 27.08
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 4.00
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
Front Cover Books
(Denver, CO, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: new. Seller Inventory # FrontCover1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 29.69
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 4.30
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
GoldBooks
(Austin, TX, U.S.A.)

Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New Copy. Customer Service Guaranteed. Seller Inventory # think1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 32.41
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 4.25
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
Wizard Books
(Long Beach, CA, U.S.A.)

Book Description Hardcover. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 53.43
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 3.50
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds
Stock Image

Elias, Robert
Published by New Press, The (2010)
ISBN 10: 1595581952 ISBN 13: 9781595581952
New Hardcover Quantity: 1
Seller:
BennettBooksLtd
(LOS ANGELES, CA, U.S.A.)

Book Description Condition: New. New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 1.7. Seller Inventory # Q-1595581952

More information about this seller | Contact seller

Buy New
US$ 58.81
Convert currency

Add to Basket

Shipping: US$ 5.39
Within U.S.A.
Destination, rates & speeds