This course will explore baseball’s historical connections to money and globalization, two of the most powerful forces in the modern era. Baseball may be a child’s game, but it has been inextricably intertwined with money and profit since its very inception in the late nineteenth century. The Reserve Clause, world tours, collective bargaining, expansion, bringing players from abroad, and realignment have always been driven as much or more by money than anything else.
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Course 1 of 4 in the American History Through Baseball Specialization.
What You Will Learn
- Describe how money shapes baseball.
- Understand how baseball connects to the international arena.
- Reflect on history's influence on the business of baseball.
Syllabus
WEEK 1
America Expands Abroad
Welcome to the course! In this module we will cover topics surrounding 19th century professionalization and international baseball.
WEEK 2
Silver and Golden Ages
In this module we will cover topics surrounding the Progressive Era, the Silver Age, the Black Sox, and the Great Depression.
WEEK 3
Baseball and America Move West
In this module we will cover topics surrounding changing demographics, post-WWII affluence, crimes of the century, and franchise shifts.
WEEK 4
The Worker
In this final module we will cover topics surrounding the Reserve Clause, Marvin Miller, the rise of the MLBPA, and outsourcing.
