About the book
To most Americans, baseball is just a sport; but to those who own baseball teams — and those who play on them — our national pastime is much more than a game. In this book, Robert Burk traces the turbulent labor history of American baseball since 1921. His comprehensive, readable account details the many battles between owners and players that irrevocably altered the business of baseball.
During what Burk calls baseball’s “paternalistic era,” from 1921 to the early 1960s, the sport’s management rigidly maintained a system of racial segregation, established a network of southern-based farm teams that served as a captive source of cheap replacement labor, and crushed any attempts by players to create collective bargaining institutions. In the 1960s, however, the paternal order crumbled, eroded in part by the civil rights movement and the competition of television. As a consequence, in the “inflationary era” that followed, both players and umpires established effective unions that successfully pressed for higher pay, pensions, and greater occupational mobility — and then fought increasingly bitter struggles to hold on to these hard-won gains.
Editions of Much More Than a Game
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807825921
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807849088
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807875377
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890872234
Read an Excerpt
To most Americans, baseball is just a sport; but to those who own baseball teams — and those who play on them — our national pastime is much more than a game. In this book, Robert Burk traces the turbulent labor history of American baseball since 1921. His comprehensive, readable account details the many battles between owners and players that irrevocably altered the business of baseball.
During what Burk calls baseball’s “paternalistic era,” from 1921 to the early 1960s, the sport’s management rigidly maintained a system of racial segregation, established a network of southern-based farm teams that served as a captive source of cheap replacement labor, and crushed any attempts by players to create collective bargaining institutions. In the 1960s, however, the paternal order crumbled, eroded in part by the civil rights movement and the competition of television. As a consequence, in the “inflationary era” that followed, both players and umpires established effective unions that successfully pressed for higher pay, pensions, and greater occupational mobility — and then fought increasingly bitter struggles to hold on to these hard-won gains.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Much More Than a Game about?
To most Americans, baseball is just a sport; but to those who own baseball teams — and those who play on them — our national pastime is much more than a game. In this book, Robert Burk traces the turbulent labor history of American baseball since 1921. His comprehensive, readable account details the many battles between owners and players that irrevocably altered the business of baseball.
During what Burk calls baseball’s “paternalistic era,” from 1921 to the early 1960s, the sport’s management rigidly maintained a system of racial segregation, established a network of southern-based farm teams that served as a captive source of cheap replacement labor, and crushed any attempts by players to create collective bargaining institutions. In the 1960s, however, the paternal order crumbled, eroded in part by the civil rights movement and the competition of television. As a consequence, in the “inflationary era” that followed, both players and umpires established effective unions that successfully pressed for higher pay, pensions, and greater occupational mobility — and then fought increasingly bitter struggles to hold on to these hard-won gains.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Much More Than a Game?
Sports and Active outdoor recreation > Ball sports / ball games > Baseball
Where can I read a sample of Much More Than a Game?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807825921
How long is Much More Than a Game and how many pages does it have?
Much More Than a Game has 384 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Much More Than a Game?
Robert F. Burk
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Much More Than a Game is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807825921) and paperback(ISBN 9780807849088) and ebook(ISBN 9780807875377) and pdf(ISBN 9798890872234)
Where can I buy Much More Than a Game online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Much More Than a Game from below
Where can I buy Much More Than a Game?