HIST 177A - Special Topics in American History

Semester Hours: 3

Current Special Topics

History 177A - Baseball as History and Culture                         

Baseball has played a central role in American culture for almost two hundred years.  The game’s most important events and characters reflect critical issues confronted in the larger society.  This course examines how people have absorbed, appreciated and participated in the game of baseball.  It explores how the game paralleled the growth and development of the United States from an agrarian society through industrialization and into the postmodern age.  Among the topics highlighted are the origins of baseball; the development of baseball as business; its role in national segregation and integration policies; topics of gender; regional identity, demographics and immigration; and economic issues such as the disparity between rich and poor teams, explosion of player’s salaries, and labor-management issues.  Finally, the course will, from time to time, touch on moments in baseball history such as Satchel Paige’s strike out of Josh Gibson, Bobby Thompson’s “shot heard ‘round the world,” and “the catch” by Willie Mays.

Prerequisite(s)/Course Notes:
Course may be repeated when topics vary and students may register for multiple courses within this numbering scheme. Ordinarily not open to first-year students. (Formerly HIST 177, Special Studies in History.).

View Course Offering(s):

Summer I 2025

Summer II 2025

Summer III 2025

Fall 2025