Field of Dreams During the late 80’s, Phil Alden Robinson developed a sensational story that revolved around a real life account of a sport tragedy. The viewers were immersed in a touching account of how sport, a social interest, can play a powerful role in human bonding; thus becoming a very spiritual component of life. It in itself has a profound effect on the societies’ spiritual experiences; and just like religion can respectfully be considered a form of spirituality for a modern society, as exemplified in Robinson’s movie ‘Field of Dreams’. This story resonates far beyond the power of dreams, its appeal lies in a vision of a perfect sport and the love for which can inadvertently resolve issues no matter how grand. The plot at first presents itself as a complex; or maybe even a strange series of events, but somehow its scenes string themselves into a moral about redemption and deep interpersonal bonds. ‘Field of Dreams’ is a diversified script that constantly evolves, but mainly revolves around the game of baseball, ‘the greatest game ever invented’. The game that according to some avid spectators, completely and thoroughly transcends and binds the country to past, present, and future--generation to generation. In this movie this national pastime represents an avenue that finds the connection to the soul of a great audience; somehow insinuating that baseball acts as a means of fulfilling individual spiritual needs. These needs are that of a ‘sense of belonging’, a need to participate in sport, either vicariously as a spectator or directly as a participant. Moreover the desire to engage in distraction and play may be intrinsic to the human psyche. The theme throughout the movie was based on the legendary story of the Chicago White Sox of 1919, where the question was raised on the issue of the team’s “sportsmanship” and the ethical behavior of several teammates during the World Series. This left the image of America’s most idolized team tarnished and lead up to a ban of eight players from the sport; for an ‘unsportsmanlike’ like conduct in the series. The public view of the game up until then was that of perfection, it was clean and straight; but afterwards, the lack of fair play especially coming from such highly ranked players, ended up affecting fans’ enthusiasm for the entire sport. As the movie nears its ending, Robinson evolved on the concept of having utterly devoted fans and as if in a mystified manner drew them in to this already mystical place, just to have them see the most idolized team of ‘the golden age’ play once again.
Ever since the creation of Major League Baseball (MLB), baseball has always been considered part of America’s pastime. A crucial role of American society was also included in baseball, segregation. The color barrier in baseball was broken on April 15, 1947 by the Brooklyn Dodgers when Jackie Robinson stepped on the field for his first at bat. With such a large part of American society now becoming integrated, many Americans were questioning their emotions, some were inspired by such an act of courage and others were filled with hatred towards a minority. “Professional baseball has become the laboratory to test American principles of equality and fairness.” , with this being said, baseball was a way for American’s to test the limits and their
Smith , Earl. Race, Sport and the American Dream. Durham, North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press, 2007.
Hutch, the main character of The Big Field, has played baseball all of his life. He has always played shortstop, the same position that his father dreamed of playing as a professional. “Hutch, had always thought of himself as the captain of any infield he’d ever been a part of” (Lupica 1). Hutch finds himself being demoted to second base because there is another player, Darryl, on his new team that is expected to go pro and also plays shortstop. Hutch struggles because he does not want to play second base and his father does not support him because he does not want baseball to break Hutch’s dreams like it did his own. Hutch is betrayed by his father and Darryl when he finds them practicing together. Hutch has to learn to adjust and eventually becomes friends with Darryl, the up and coming shortstop. He understands that if he wants to win, then he needs to work together with Darryl. His father also comes around and finally gives Hutch his approval. Students should read this book in a high school English classroom because it demonstrates how relationships can be difficult, but teamwork can help to solve many issues.
Movies are an integral part of American life. They make us laugh and in a blink of an eye make us cry. But above all, movies tell a story, a story about not merely the characters in the flick, but about each and every one of us in the audience. No matter what the plot, purpose or theme of the movie, there isn’t a single person who can honestly say that they can’t relate to at least one element of the movie in the one hundred and twenty some odd minutes of intense sound and color. Baseball is America’s pastime, America’s national game. Thus a movie about baseball captivates the essential American spirit in its purest form. Personally I feel that Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella and James Earl Jones as Terrance Mann, is the greatest baseball movie ever made. Therefore it is safe to conclude that the movie is the quintessence of American society or in the words of Terrance Mann:
The 1919 Black Sox scandal filled America’s sport with shame and embarrassment. For the first time baseball’s dark side was brought to light- their sparkling reputation dashed. Swirling in controversy, major league baseball declined to recognize what was happening around them, an event that marked change in not only baseball, but the culture of a nation. “What took place in 1919 growing post war cynicism, race riots, and accelerating industrialization signaled the death knell of the small town ideals.” Joe Jackson, Earl Weaver and the Black Sox were in the heart of it all.
As a faithful follower and player of American Baseball, this topic was of extreme interest to me. The origins and history of a lifestyle that I have dedicated the overwhelming majority of my life to has always caught my attention. Baseball, being America’s national sport, is a crucial illustration to understand when discussing the overall societal circumstances at that time. One of baseball’s most important tasks was integrating the sport and allowing people of every ethnicity to have a chance to play the sport at an equal playing field. Although we now know that the efforts to desegregate baseball were ultimately a success, to what extent were the efforts a direct success during that time period? Did the unification of different ethnicities in America’s national sport have an effect on the amount of time desegregat...
From the years 1917 to 1919 the Chicago White Sox were by far the dominant team in baseball. It is speculated that they could have “gone on to become one of the greatest teams in history” (Schwalbe 2). However, despite having the most talented team around, Charles Comiskey paid his players considerably less than any other winning team (Durst 2). Due to the oppression they were under, the player’s morale began to decrease as their need for money increased. They considered going on strike, but were talked out of it by their manager, “Kid” Gleason. They remained desperate until first baseman Chick Gandil met with a notorious gambler named “Sport” Sullivan.
Prebish, Charles S. Religion and Sport: The Meeting of Sacred and Profane (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture). Westport: Greenwood Press, 1993. Print.
Baseball has for a long time been a staple in the American sporting culture as baseball and America have grown up together. Exploring the different ages and stages of American society, reveals how baseball has served as both a public reflection of, and vehicle for, the evolution of American culture and society. Many American ways including our landscapes, traditional songs, and pastimes all bear the mark of a game that continues to be identified with America's morals and aspirations. In this paper I will be addressing the long residuals of baseball as it specifically relates to the emergence of the American nation and its principles of nationalism. This is a particularly important issue because baseball seems to be a perfect representative system having many comparative analogies to the larger system of development, America. Since the sport first emerged, baseball and America have shared the same values, responded to the same events, and struggled with the same social and economic issues. To learn of the ideals concerning the sport of baseball in America, is to know the heart and mind of America.
One would not usually associate baseball, America's favorite pastime, with English romantic poets of the 18th and 19th century. Certainly, the thought of modern American baseball does not initially trigger notions of the sublime, natural scenes, and individual spirituality. Yet, what could be more poetic than the end of a curse, the greatest comeback in sports history, and the end of an 86 year drought without a championship? What is more poetic than all three of these occurrences happening in the same year to the same team? Less specifically, it is not hard to believe that a romantic poet would embrace the coming together of average Americans to cheer on their home team on a warm summer day. What is the seventh inning stretch but the mass-harmonizing of a short, heartwarming poem? It is true that baseball and romantics have more in common than one would at first suspect. Particularly, William Wordsworth and the Boston Red Sox are a terrific example of a romantic poet and a Major League Baseball team that seem to fit. Wordsworth's love of nature and verse and his sympathy toward the common man would draw him to the sport itself, while the history and mysticism of the Boston Red Sox would intrigue him. Indeed, William Wordsworth would have loved baseball and been a fan of the Boston Red Sox.
The history of baseball has made cultures in America come together more than any other sport. It brings cities together to watch a common game known as “The American Pastime”, but the game is changing along with the world around us. Are the changes good or bad? One thing is for sure through all this. Baseball has become interesting along with being informative.
Baron Wormser dramatizes the conflict between player and player in his poem titled,“In Baseball.” Particularly as the conflict relates to the poet’s conception of success and how it is attained and determined. Wormser uses imagery and certain expressions to convey hardships and triumphs of everyday life. In addition, the poet continuously contemplates the notion that every moment leads to a certain fate as well as how every action reveals a new facet of someones personality.
There can be no question that sport and athletes seem to be considered less than worthy subjects for writers of serious fiction, an odd fact considering how deeply ingrained in North American culture sport is, and how obviously and passionately North Americans care about it as participants and spectators. In this society of diverse peoples of greatly varying interests, tastes, and beliefs, no experience is as universal as playing or watching sports, and so it is simply perplexing how little adult fiction is written on the subject, not to mention how lightly regarded that little which is written seems to be. It should all be quite to the contrary; that our fascination and familiarity with sport makes it a most advantageous subject for the skilled writer of fiction is amply demonstrated by Mark Harris.
This game of a stick and ball has captivated the United States during good and bad times. In either time most of us today can remember stories of players from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. These are legendary figures in the sport of baseball that have are celebrated as hero’s and in scandal, i...
Doing so establishes a sense of admiration and curiosity that otherwise would have been lost in the excitement and clamor of the crowd. This, in turn, allows Faulkner and the readers of this essay to resist being swept up from the frantic crowd and instead focus on the beauty of the game.