Baseball As America:
National Geographic, $35
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This one's out of the parkNational Geographic hits a homer with the comprehensive Baseball As America: Seeing Ourselves Through Our National Game, a spirited tribute to the sport produced in conjunction with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Featuring one-of-a-kind pieces from the museum's collection -- photos and posters, pennants and jerseys, cards and equipment -- this bright, buoyant volume explores America's remarkable bond with its most beloved game. The companion volume to a traveling exhibit of the same name organized by the Hall of Fame and now on view at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Baseball As America documents all the timeless moments in the history of the sport -- from the formation of the Cincinnati Red Stockings, America's first all-pro team, to the days when the A's were in Kansas City -- while thoughtfully analyzing the game's effects on our national culture. Exploring the ways in which baseball has shaped -- and been shaped by -- race, gender and big business, the story of the sport comes alive through contributions from the likes of Jackie Robinson, John Grisham, Michael Chabon and songsmith Paul Simon (writing about Joe DiMaggio, of course). With more than 200 classic illustrations, including first-class photos of faves like Ty Cobb and Sammy Sosa, the book is a wonderful reminder of why we cherish this most American of games.
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