Reel Baseball: Essays and Interviews on the National Pastime, Hollywood and American Culture [Paperback]

Stephen C. Wood (Author), J. David Pincus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 20, 2003

Not only are movies and baseball two of America’s favorite pastimes, they are integral parts of our culture. Small wonder that the two frequently merge in Hollywood’s use of baseball themes, jargon, and icons.

This work on baseball in the movies is organized into four sections examining different aspects of the cultural intersection between film and baseball. In the first three sections—"Baseball in Baseball Films," "Babe Ruth and the Silver Screen," and "Baseball in Non-Baseball Films"—essays by scholars in various disciplines cover such topics as symbols, the role of family, baseball as a facilitator of violence, and the American mythos. The fourth section consists of interviews with directors (such as Ron Shelton and Penny Marshall), actors (Kevin Costner, James Belushi), and baseball personnel (broadcaster Vin Scully, coach Rod Dedeaux) who have worked in baseball films.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen C. Wood is chair of the communication studies department at the University of Rhode Island. J. David Pincus has held positions in the communications and business departments at California State University, Fullerton, the University of Southern California, and the University of Arkansas. He lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Macfarland & Co. (January 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786413891
• ISBN-13: 978-0786413898
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Collection of Essays on Baseball and Movies, September 4, 2006

By 

Roger D. Launius "Historian" (Washington, D.C., United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reel Baseball: Essays and Interviews on the National Pastime, Hollywood and American Culture (Paperback)

For more than a decade and a half, the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and the State University if New York at Oneonto have sponsored an annual conference on baseball and American culture. This collection of essays originated as a vehicle for the publication of some of the research presented at those conferences relative to baseball and film. It is a dandy work that offers something for almost everyone. Divided in four major parts, or "reels" as the editors call them, it contains essays on baseball films, depictions of Babe Ruth in the movies, baseball as seen in non-baseball films, and a set of interviews of directors, actors, and others associated with baseball films,

By far the most interesting part of the book is the first "reel," in which several authors analyze such films as "The Natural" (1984) and "Field of Dreams" (1989). While there have long been baseball movies--some of them renowned such "The Pride of the Yankees" (1942) about Lou Gehrig--many of are forgettable--such as "Rhubarb" where a cat inherits the Brooklyn Dodgers--the modern, effective baseball movie may be traced to "The Natural." Throughout, the best of these films use baseball as a backdrop to explore larger social and cultural issues, the tension of good versus evil, and the quest for spiritual fulfillment. Also interesting are the interviews at the conclusion of the book, especially the ones with Penny Marshall, who directed "A League of their Own" about women in baseball during World War II; Kevin Costner, who has made three memorable baseball movies, "Bull Durham," "Field of Dreams," and "For Love of the Game"; and Vin Skully, who literally "called" the perfect game depicted in "For Love of the Game."

Throughout, this is an interesting and useful volume. Like all edited works, this one suffers from unevenness and interpretation from chapter to chapter, but overall it is quite a useful book.