Making the World Safe for Baseball :: Sports History Athletics Essays

Making the World Safe for baseballThe national pastime, organized baseballs self-proclaimed moniker, represented an important American institution as the Great War began to enmesh Europe. The games association with democracy bred a poignant sense of patriotism among the players, fans, and other baseball aficionados as the contest slowly ensnared the United States. Around the country, reporters emphasized baseballs important role in the impending European conflict in the New York Times, gum benjamin DeCasseres wrote, the world ought to be made safe for baseball, since, as long as baseball embodied American democracy, the Kaisers and the Trotskys would strike out.1 Accordingly, notes Richard Crepeau, the game took its role in the early World War quite seriously, identifying itself as the game of democracy.2 In his analysis, Crepeau stresses the sports willingness to accept the Great War and the governments mobilization efforts as both good for Americaand good for baseball.3 Ha rold Seymour, on the other hand, claims organized baseball demanded special favors and considerations from the government while maintaining an air of allegiance and patriotism.4 An examination of Baseball Magazine, a premier baseball publication during this period, validates the latter argument, revealing the sports simultaneous claims of support for and exemption from the war effort. Up until President Woodrow Wilsons declaration of war, organized baseball remained rather detached from the European situation. Despite the wars emerging influence on the affairs of the country, the World serial publication of 1915, columnist F.C. Lane reported, represented a week in which the united American people could forget the warand talk and eat and dream of baseball and who will win the all important series.5 As the baseball season reopened the following April, the sport possessed an aloofness not uncommon throughout the sojourn of American society. An interview with Detroit T igers star Ty Cobb demonstrates this position. Refusing to take sides in the European conflict while placing blame for belligerency on the continents imperial heritage, Cobb states, No, I havent any decided notions in favor of either side. I believe the conflict was inevitable, according to the system followed by both parties in Europe.6 The editors of the publication seemed to agree with such detachment by proclaiming a moral supremacy reminiscent of President Wilsons own rhetoric. While Europe prevent civilizations progress, according to one columnist, Americas growing acceptance of Sunday baseball represented a most telling and smart sign of that progress.