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Cory Smith Fuentes English 1102 4/28/2014 Baseball the Story of U.S. " a!e me out to the ball game..." " sim#le song that refle$ts ho% &ee# a s#ort $an run through a $ulture's (eins. )t*s ama+ing that a song from the 1,00's $an still be sung to&ay by millions. -hat $oul& $ause su$h a thing to be entren$he& in our so$iety. Baseball/ a s#ort you $annot go one summer %ithout hearing or seeing something about this game so $losely tie& to "meri$a's history. hings may ha(e $hange& sin$e the $reation of the s#ort/ but %hether #eo#le reali+e it or not the s#ort is still a (ery rele(ant #art of "meri$an so$iety. his $an be seen %ithin the last fe% years %hen steroi& usage not only affe$te& baseball but the %hole s#orts %orl&. -ith that being sai&/ baseball has $hange& an& e(ol(e& o(ertime %ith the $ountry into the s#ort it is to&ay. )n fa$t/ if one loo!s $lose enough they %ill see a strong tie bet%een the t%o entities. 0f $ourse/ %hen something is $alle& our nation's #astime it must #lay a some%hat large role in %hat ma!es the US %hat it is to&ay. ) belie(e that #eo#le &is$re&it the s#ort an& #ut it &o%n &ue to mo&ern issues but %ithout it many im#ortant things in our nation's history %oul& ha(e ne(er ha##ene&. 1ot only %oul& "meri$an s#orts be &ifferent but the hot2button issues that a##ear in #o#ular me&ia (ery %ell $oul& not e3ist. o really un&erstan& this $onne$tion though you must loo! o(er this time #erio& bet%een the t%o. From the s#orts in(ention/ through the Ci(il -ar/ &uring the roaring 20's/ into the "Steroi& Era"/ an& into the #resent &ay. "ll of these moments are $ru$ial in regar&s to both baseball an& "meri$a an& ho% they both $hange& an& $ause& a $hange u#on ea$h other. "

single as#e$t of a $ountry's $ulture $an be a (ery im#ortant fa$tor %hen &ifferentiating the #ath that not only the $ountries mo(es in but also ho% #eo#le intera$t %ith one another. Baseball %as one of these (ery $ru$ial as#e$ts that ha(e ma&e "meri$a %hat it is to&ay. his is %hy it*s (ery im#ortant to see ho% an& e(en %hy the game of baseball has $hange& along %ith the $ulture of the US. -hen loo!ing at baseball itself you must loo! at the beginning of the s#ort to really gras# %here the s#ort has $ome from an& ho% it really has e(ol(e& along %ith the $ountry. he s#ort e(ol(e& from a fe% games that $ame o(er seas from Englan& &uring the late 1400's an& early 1800's. For this time the game #laye& in "meri$a %as (ery &ifferent #eo#le %oul& ha(e the ball thro%n at them to be out instea& of ho% things are to&ay/ an& many other rules %ere 5uite &ifferent. )n 1846 this all $hange& though %hen "le3an&er Cart%right in(ente& %hat is no% !no%n as mo&ern &ay baseball. 7e set u# the rules #retty mu$h to %hat they are to&ay 89ar!/ 1athan :.;. Some may say this is the most #inna$le moment in all of baseball history be$ause this is %here the game %as forme&. -hen loo!ing at the $ir$umstan$es though/ ) thin! that it is far from being the most im#ortant moment but $an be ran!e& u# in one of the more im#ortant moments. ) say so/ be$ause &uring this time baseball %as <ust a re$reational game #laye& mostly by some firefighters in 1e% =or! City. )n fa$t/ Cart%right %as on a team $alle& the 1e% =or! >ni$!erbo$!ers/ %hi$h %as ma&e mostly of (olunteer firefighters. -ith this being sai&/ the s#ort %as not something that ha& %or!e& its %ay into "meri$a's #o# $ulture/ it %as <ust something a fe% men &e$i&e& to #lay on their off time. hings %oul&

remain mu$h the same for the ne3t 20 years as "meri$a began gro% along %ith this ne%ly $reate& s#ort. hings %oul& $hange though in 18?1 %hen "meri$a s#lit an& %ent

to %ar@ the Ci(il -ar ha& begun. Aany %oul& thin! that a s#ort su$h as baseball %oul& be highly su##resse& &uring a time of %ar but the $ontrary a$tually o$$urre&. he #ast t%enty years before the %ar/ baseball began to buil& in #o#ularity in both states of 1e% =or! an& 1e% Bersey. :e$reational baseball ha& #o##e& u# e(ery%here in these states an& ha& really be$ome a #art of their $ulture. -hen sol&iers %ent to %ar they s#rea& their lo(e of the s#ort %ith others from &ifferent states 8>irs$h/ Ceorge B.;. "lmost e(ery Union sol&ier began #laying this s#ort on their off time an& they really began to $onne$t to this ne% game. he Confe&erate sol&iers at this #oint ha& no i&ea about this game but on$e some Union sol&iers %ere ta!en as #risoners of %ar is %hen the s#ort sim#ly e3#lo&e&. During this #erio& they too! time to tea$h the Confe&erate sol&iers this 1orthern game of baseball. he Southerners 5uite fran!ly fell in lo(e %ith it. "ll though the re$or&s are (ery foggy unto %hat e3a$tly ha##ene& there are some a$$ounts of the Confe&erates e(en #laying Union troo#s in bet%een battles. his is unhear& of in to&ay's &efinition of %ar. )f an enemy %ays on your base you %oul& either ta!e them as #risoners or !ill them. So/ for there to be enough humanity as to #lay a #ea$eful game of baseball %ith those you %oul& #ossibly be !illing in a fe% &ays really sho%s ho% im#ortant the game of baseball %as to these sol&iers. 1ot only %as the game im#ortant to the sol&iers/ #eo#le %oul& sho% u# from the nearest to%ns to %at$h these games an& su##ort the troo#s as %ell. his in my o#inion %as the turning #oint for not only the s#ort but also the $ountry's in(ol(ement an& $onne$tion %ith the s#ort. 0n$e the %ar %as o(er teams %ere forme& in almost e(ery to%n. "n& the first fe% #rofessional teams 8if you $an $all them that; %ere $reate&. he $ountry ha& begun to fall in lo(e %ith baseball an& embra$e& it as their game2 "meri$a's game. 7onestly this is a #inna$le

moment in for both the s#ort an& the $ountry &ue to the fa$t that this %as the first s#ort that "meri$a $oul& $all its o%n. 0ther s#orts ha& been brought o(erseas/ but no% the "meri$an #eo#le no% ha& a s#ort they $oul& sho% the %orl& as their o%n. his is era is %ay before the "meri$an Football %hi$h gaine& mass #o#ularity in the 1,?0's so this %as the only thing "meri$ans $oul& really be in(ol(e& in. he game at this #oint may ha(e been (ery #o#ular but $om#are& to %hat it e(entually e(ol(es into it is something li!e ho% e(ery !i& lo(es #laying four s5uares in elementary s$hool. )t*s not something that is engra(e& in our lifestyles but it %as something e(erybo&y %as (ery intereste& into &oing. his #art of baseball is often loo!e& o(er u#on &ue to it o$$urring &uring the &ea&liest %ar in "meri$an history/ but on$e you loo! $losely at it you $an really see there %as some goo& going on &uring this &ar! #art of "meri$a's history. From here though/ baseball %as on an u#%ar& tra$! an& %as on its %ay to not only to be$oming a national obsession/ but also something that many $lassify %hat "meri$a really is. he ne3t era in baseball %oul& follo% %hat many thin! is the most transformati(e era in "meri$an history. :ight after the 1,20's "meri$a's $ulture ha& $hange& &rasti$ally an& this %oul& be refle$te& in the game of baseball in the 1,E0's. During this &e$a&e/ baseball %oul& be$ome more than a s#ort to the nation but a lifestyle. -hen the Creat De#ression o$$urre& #eo#le $ame in &ro(es to baseball games to forget all of their #roblems/ an& %hen the E0's $ame aroun& baseball began to surge into "meri$an #o# $ulture 8Bohnson/ :. ;. Baseball greats that are e(en tal!e& about to&ay li!e Babe :uth/ Fou Cehrig/ an& y Cobb %ere all #art of this renaissan$e of baseball. Baseball no% ha& hit its height in #o#ularity an& #eo#le $ame in &ro(es to see games e(ery &ay. Songs li!e " a!e Ae 0ut to the Ballgame" %ere $reate&G !i&s began $olle$ting baseball

$ar&s an& #laying baseball out in their o%n ba$!yar&s. Baseball ha& be$ome #art of "meri$a. he i&ea of summer going along %ith #ools/ hot&ogs/ an& baseball ha& been born. 9eo#le %oul& highlight their summers by going to a baseball game an& seeing their fa(orite #layers battle it out for , har& innings. )t %as a glorious time for the s#ort an& things %oul& remain this %ay in "meri$a for a (ery long timeG that is until the ne3t $ha#ter in baseball %as to be %ritten. )n the 1,,0's something ha##ene& that %oul& sha!e the s#orts %orl&. 9layers su$h as Bose Conse$o/ Barry Bon&s an& later in 2000's Aar! A$C%ire %ere all foun& of using 9ED's 89erforman$e Enhan$ing Drugs; or steroi&s to "hel# their game" 87annon/ om;. his %as the first time ma<or stars %ere being a$$use& of $heating their %ay to the to#. 7un&re&s of #layers ha(e been $aught of using 9ED's sin$e the ,0's an& %hile this ha##ene& the "meri$an #ubli$ began to &istan$e itself from the game of baseball. 9eo#le no% ma!e fun of the s#ort as a bun$h of hul!ing/ roi&2fille& men hitting the ball an& has been mo$!e& on almost e(ery as#e$t of me&ia there is. his is #robably the &ar!est era in baseball history in that the s#ort lost not only the res#e$t of the #ubli$ but the trust. "meri$ans &i& not %ant to be asso$iate& %ith a s#ort full of $heaters an& there %as a large &e$line in the #o#ularity of the s#ort. "lthough there hasn't been that mu$h time sin$e the steroi& era of baseball things ha(e $hange& a lot sin$e the #ast t%o &e$a&es. Sure/ some #layers li!e "le3 :o&rigue+ ha(e been $aught &oing 9ED's 8"BC -orl& 1e%s;. But things are starting to go ba$! to the %ay they %ere. 9layers ha(e (oi$e& their o#inions about the &isli!e of others using 9ED's an& ha(e si&e& %ith fans in trying to $lean u# the game of baseball. Sure there might be the o$$asional troll online that brings u# steroi&s/ but things ha(e

really starte& to $hange. 1ot only has baseball $leane& itself u# in the #ast fe% years other s#orts su$h as #rofessional football ha(e &one the same. :e$ently there ha(e been 5uite a fe% #layers using 9ED's in their #lay <ust as in the AFB. he 1FF 81ational Football Feague; is trying to follo% baseball in $leaning u# the s#ort so that e(erybo&y is #laying fairly an& no $heating is o$$urring. )t honestly/ has been an u#hill battle against the use of these substan$es be$ause so many #eo#le %ere using them at the time this #roblem %as un$o(ere&. 9layers li!e Barry Bon&s %ho hit for the most home runs in a $areer %ere instantly un$re&ite& by the use of steroi&s an& %ithin the last fe% years many of the $an&i&ates for in&u$tion to the 7all of Fame ha(e re$ei(e& (ery lo% (oting rates &ue to the 5uestion of if their $areer is really refle$ti(e of them or of them %ith steroi&s. "s sho%n/ the game of baseball has really $hange& throughout the #ast 100 years an& along %ith it has "meri$an $ulture. he game %ent from a re$reational s#ort #laye& by a fe% &o+en men to an "meri$an i$on. Ba$! in the &ay/ baseball %as not an elite s#ort as it is no%/ #layers %ere #ai& (ery little an& often ha& other <obs/ this means a lot of the #layers %ere "normal #eo#le". his allo%e& the $ountry to really $onne$t to the s#ort an& the #layers. his of $ourse starte& to $hange after the 40's %hen the 1e% =or! =an!ees shelle& out money for %hoe(er they %ante& so they $oul& %in $ham#ionshi#s. his still hol&s true to&ay as they are in the to# t%o teams in highest #ayroll in the AFB. )n the 20's through the 60's baseball %as an i$on for the nation an& %as e(en $onsi&ere& #atrioti$. "s a mo&ern referen$e you $an see so$$er in some $ountries an& ho% that is the obsession of a nation. his is %hat baseball %as li!e at one #oint for the US. ) really feel li!e baseball $an ma!e a $omeba$! into mass #o#ular

$ulture but it is going to ta!e some time/ <ust li!e %hen Chris Bro%n hit :ihanna/ it too! time for #o#ular $ulture to mo(e on about the in$i&ent 8although it %as totally %rong;/ #eo#le $an mo(e on an& forget about the steroi& era of baseball/ it <ust nee&s some time. "n& %ithin the ne3t 10 years or so ) thin! that baseball $an return to the #o#ularity it %as re$ei(ing &uring the ?0's an& 40's. But ne(er %ill baseball be as im#ortant to us as it %as in the E0's/ it %as a &ifferent %orl& then an& things li!e the internet an& so$ial me&ia ha(e no% ta!en the #la$e of sitting &o%n an& %at$hing s#orts as a family. here has been some more re$ent moment in history %hen baseball %as e3tremely im#ortant to the $ountry as a %hole. :ight after the atta$!s of Se#tember 11th/ 2001 9resi&ent Bush thre% out the first #it$h at the first =an!ees game after the atta$!s. Fo$al ser(i$e men %ere in atten&an$e an& it %as a (ery emotional o$$asion for the $ounty. "nother instan$e of this is last year after the Boston Aarathon BombingsG the Boston :e& So3 starte& their "Boston Strong" $am#aign an& in a (ery &ar! time for the $ity le& the team to a -orl& Series (i$tory. he song "S%eet Caroline" 9laye& at e(ery :e& So3 game %as being #laye& no% at e(ery s#orting e(ent an& %as a sho%ing of &efian$e to the (iolen$e that o$$urre& in the $ity. "s e3#laine&/ baseball has really $hange& along %ith the $ountry an& has been im#a$te& an& has also im#a$te& the $ountry in many %ays. Sure/ things might not e(er be li!e they on$e %ere but things %ill only go u# for the s#ort of baseball. :e$ently/ baseball has be$ome more #o#ular in foreign nations an& is a sign that the s#ort %ill $ontinue to thri(e an& #ros#er not only in this $ountry but many others. Baseball has gotten us through %ars su$h as the Ci(il -ar an& -orl& -ar )) an& through times of &es#air su$h as he Creat De#ression an& &uring times su$h as ,/11 it %ill $ontinue to

&o so be$ause it is our s#ort an& it something %e ha(e that sets us a#art from others. -hen loo!e& ba$! u#on it is ama+ing to see ho% %e $hange& %ith the game/ but yet the game has been almost the same this %hole time. )t is a testament to %hat great s#orts $an really &o for a nation an& hel#s ma!e us %ho %e are. E(en if you are not a fan of baseball/ you shoul& really $onsi&er going to see a game be$ause %hen you &o/ it*s li!e loo!ing ba$! in a time ma$hine at our history. ) $an't thin! of the &ay %hen baseball is no longer im#ortant to "meri$a an& ho#efully ) %on't li(e to see the &ay/ be$ause to me the s#ort is im#ortant to our $ulture an& is something that is truly "meri$an.

-or!s Cite& "BC -orl& 1e%s 1o% @ Baseball Do#ing Cra$! Do%n. Dir. San&y 9anfel an& Da(i& Banfiel&. 9ro&. S$ott Sta$ho%ia!/ Su+anne 7arol&/ Creig o&&/ Cliff Celb/ Ste#hen Cohen/ 9eter Aartine+/ Bay$e 7en&erson/ "man&a Han"llen/ an& Bamie A$Carty. By Cherry >ey/ Debbie 7umes/ an& Ba$! Sheahan. =ou ube. "BC 1e%s/ 6 Bune 201E. -eb. 10 Aar. 2014. 7annon/ om. " he Steroi& Era." The Baseball Page. 1.#./ n.&. -eb. 24 "#r. 2014. Bohnson/ :. . " he 7istory :at." he 7istory :at. :. . Bohnson/ 2 Ban. 2010. -eb. 10 Aar. 2014. >irs$h/ Ceorge B. Baseball in Blue an& Cray@ he 1ational 9astime During the Ci(il -ar. 9rin$eton/ 1.B@ 9rin$eton Uni(ersity 9ress/ 200E. 9rint. 9ar!/ 1athan :. " he :E"F )n(entor 0f Baseball 2 -ho )n(ente& Baseball." The REAL Inventor Of Baseball - Who Invented Baseball? "rti$les Fa$tory/ , Buly 200,. -eb. 24 "#r. 2014.