Pitching Democracy : Baseball and Politics in the Dominican Republic / April Yoder.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Yoder, April, author.

Series:

Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long series in Latin American and Latino art and culture.

Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Baseball--Political aspects--Dominican Republic.

Baseball.

Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic--Politics and government.

Genre:

History

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 215 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, [2023]

Summary:

From Juan Marichal and Pedro Martínez to Albert Pujols and Juan Soto, Dominicans have long been among Major League Baseball's best. How did this small Caribbean nation become a hothouse of baseball talent? To many fans, the answer is both obvious and disconcerting: pro teams use their riches to develop talent abroad, creating opportunities for superhuman athletes and corrupt officials, while the rest of the population sees little benefit. Yet this interpretation of history is incomplete. April Yoder traces how baseball has empowered Dominicans in their struggles for democracy and social justice. While the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo saw the sport as a means of cementing its power at home and abroad, the Dominican people fashioned an emancipated civic sphere by seeing their potential for democratic success in their compatriots' baseball success. Later, Dominicans articulated demands for democracy, economic opportunity, and civil rights through successful calls for public support of amateur and professional baseball. Today, Dominicans continue to demand that incentives for the baseball industry foster human as well as economic development. A revelatory and innovative history, Pitching Democracy restores agency to the Dominican people and honors their true love of the game.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Baseball, Democracy, and Latin America in the Cold War

ONE Mens sana in corpore sano: Baseball and Trujillista Politics

TWO Politics at the Plate: The Threat of Communism and the Showcase for Democracy

THREE Criticizing Baseball, Debating Democracy

FOUR Así se hace patria: Baseball and the Bloodless Revolution

FIVE Sliding into Third: The Cibao Summer League and Baseball as Development

SIX Making the Majors: The Baseball Industry and Dominican Democracy

Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781477326787

1477326782

9781477326770

1477326774

OCLC:

1356001730