TELEVISION

Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime

Series: Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime
4.3
(3)
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Episodes
24
Rating
TVPG
Year
2021
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

Every time you watch baseball, you're participating in the latest chapter of a compelling story that goes back hundreds of years. In 24 lectures that paint a portrait of the sport's remarkable past and take you from the decades before the Civil War to the pivotal year of 1920, Play Ball! The Rise of Baseball as America's Pastime strikes a perfect balance between sports lore and cultural history.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 24

1. Ground Rules: Baseball before Babe Ruth

29m

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The year 1920 is considered a pivotal year in baseball, when a sense of uniformity in the game was finally achieved. But what about the decades before? Travel back to the years before 1920 - a time when changes in the game were rapid, dramatic, and often surprising.

2. Early Bat and Ball Games

30m

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Take a look back at the very beginnings of baseball and discover how and why the early version of the game evolved in the middle of the 19th century. Learn how early clubs like the Gothams and the Knickerbockers helped repurpose a familiar child's game so it could be played by urban adults.

3. The Era of Amateur Baseball Clubs

32m

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Explore the rise of amateur baseball clubs in the United States. The tour starts with Brooklyn's Eckford Club, whose outings primarily served as refreshing countryside excursions. Then, go back still further to follow the rise of the Knickerbocker Club of New York City and the significance of their 1845 decision to write down the rules of the game.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great Coursesdirector
The Great Coursesproducer
Bruce Markusenactor