Customer Reviews

Stolen Bases: Why American Girls Don't Play Baseball

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Too bad the original cover photo for the book was rejected due to NCAA interference. The player in the USA jersey played college baseball and the NCAA said it would pull her eligibility for all sports if she appeared on the cover. It was truly a spectacular photo of the player sliding at the plate being tagged out by the Chinese-Taipei catcher.It is a shame that the title will preclude many baseball fans from reading the book. Contained within the pages are numerous historical references to the game originally called base-ball when played in England in the 1740's. As a student of the game, as well as a player for 45 years, I was humbled by my lack of knowledge of baseball history that I thought I knew. A thoughtful and well thought out chronicle of baseball, invented by milkmaids in 18th century England to pass the time between milkings, through the re-invention of the game in 1839 America, and up until the writing of the book. While it does include the history of sporting goods magnate Albert Spalding's insistence that girls & women not play the game, as well as organized baseball's continuing ban on women players, and other injustices in between, it is all presented in a factual and straight forward manner. With the International Olympic Organizing Committee's requirements that baseball follow the same rules as all other sports, namely played by women in 40 countries on three continents, in order to return as an Olympic sport, combined with the International Amateur Baseball Federation's March 2009 pledge to the IOOC that baseball's proposal to return to the Olympics will include women's baseball, this book debuts at the most opportune time. Perhaps America's pastime will once again be enjoyed by the game's inventors - girls and women.

STOLEN BASES: WHY AMERICAN GIRLS DON'T PLAY BASEBALL is written by a political scientist who got fired up about girls and baseball during the years when she helped her daughter fight for the right to play. Both scholarly and personal, the book is a great read. Jennifer Ring draws on scholarly literatures in sport history and sociology, and ties in some nice photos, past and present, all the while peppering in insights from her own years of experience with her daughter. The book is accessible, smart and timely. With former Women's Sports foundation head Donna Lopiano now heading up a high-profile commission to advocate for women and baseball, this book could be just the ticket for adding depth to this current social issue.

Ring has written a superb book that examines four factors that have influenced the exclusion of girls and women from baseball: the historical development of the game, the social and cultural context in which it evolved, institutional structures, (such as Little League, High School & College athletic programs), and recruitment and development practices targeting boys for future professional careers. Ring describes the differences between baseball and softball and explains why they are two distinct games. She also points out: "Just as there is nothing inherently masculine about baseball, there is nothing inherently feminine about softball." Ring's passion for the game and righteous indignation at the exclusion of girls and women from full participation at all levels, come through clearly and will inspire readers to recognize and resist blatant and subtle barriers to women reclaiming their Field of Dreams.

Ring's research on how women have been excluded from baseball provides a poignant critique of American democracy.
It is well written, well researched, - a great read.