Homestand by Will Bardenwerper

HOMESTAND by Will Bardenwerper is all about “Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America.” Bardenwerper, a former soldier turned author and journalist, recounts (and deplores) the impact of the MLB’s decision in 2020 to close 42 minor league teams by focusing on the Batavia Muckdogs team and their fans. The western New York town first hosted a baseball team in 1897 and traditions run deep. In addition to highlighting the financials and greed driving this MLB decision, Bardenwerper profiles many local characters. He will bring smiles to reader faces as they learn about Batavia’s efforts to attract and support a collegiate team. Happily, this text evokes fond memories of small-town baseball and so much more; Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone) describes it as “a well-written paean to a sense of community that is now sadly in danger of being lost in America. Read HOMESTAND, and savor it while you still can.” HOMESTAND received a starred review from Library Journal which called this title a “must-purchase.” Have to add: GO, Cubbies, GO!!

Banana Ball by Jesse Cole

BANANA BALL by Jesse Cole is the “The Unbelievably True Story of the Savannah Bananas,” as told by their owner and founder of Fans First Entertainment. If you do not know about the Savannah Bananas and their brand of baseball, you are really missing some fun. As Cole explains, “We have a clock and our games top out at two hours. We don’t allow bunts. Batters can steal first base. And if a fan catches a foul ball in the stands, it’s an out. Crazy Right?” Actually, it is hilarious as the highlight video below illustrates. Cole, whose firm’s motto is “Fans First. Entertain Always,” is straightforward and highly amusing in his writing. He begins with describing growing up outside of Boston and the love of baseball that he shared with his Dad. Right away, though, readers will appreciate Cole’s willingness to take chances and provide fun for others. In a charming manner, he recites close calls – almost going to Williamsport as a Little Leaguer, getting injured in college before the draft – and relentlessly shares his enthusiasm for the game. The playfulness exhibited in this book will have you smiling and laughing. Enjoy!   

37 Words by Sherry Boschert

Title IX and Fifty Years of Fighting Sex Discrimination is the topic for 37 WORDS by Sherry Boschert (Plug-in Hybrids). An award-winning journalist, Boschert grabs readers’ attention immediately by jumping to 1969 and sharing the story of Bernice Resnick Sandler, a doctoral candidate at University of Maryland who struggled to even be interviewed for teaching positions. Explaining that “sex discrimination” was a relatively new word at that time, Boschert follows Sandler’s efforts to highlight and combat unequal admissions, hiring, and tenure practices at colleges and universities, including her filing of a class-action complaint in 1970. The data cited is fascinating; for example, “The University of Virginia rejected 21,000 women applicants in the early 1960s alone and didn’t turn away a single man in the same period.” Another section of the book centers on Pamela Price, a Yale University student and a plaintiff in the 1977 case (Alexander v. Yale) which established that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. 

Even though they feel we have so much farther to go, I think our students will be intrigued by the fight against pervasive sexist attitudes in the 1960s and 1970s. A third story (sadly) may seem more familiar to them as it describes efforts by a Fresno State athletics administrator, Diane Milutinovich, to obtain equal funding for men’s and women’s sports in the 1990s. A call to continued action and an important historical record, 37 WORDS has extensive notes and a detailed index, both of which will be useful aids to our student researchers.

 "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." -- Title IX's first thirty-seven words

Noteworthy from NPR: Crowds cheered as Rachel Balkovec, the first woman to manage an MLB-affiliated team, took home a victory for the New York Yankees-affiliated Tampa Tarpons on Friday, April 8, 2022 - almost 50 years after enactment of Title IX. 

FANS by Larry Olmsted

FANS by Larry Olmsted is a fascinating look at “How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding.” Olmsted, a best-selling author of non-fiction, probes the sense of belonging and community which we, as fans, feel.  He discusses watching a game versus watching the arena filled with spectators and points out repeatedly how being a fan can positively impact emotional/mental health, physical health (fans tend to be more active), and ultimately lead to more understanding. He addresses that last point by using examples such as Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali and Joe Lewis, saying that even Obama asserted he might not have been elected were it not for Robinson’s actions. In addition, Olmsted notes the multi-generational bonding which occurs over sports and religion, a “comparable system of group identification and belonging.” FANS contains an impressive set of references and is a nice update to Sports: The All American Addiction by Gerdy. To hear more, visit Family Action Network (FAN) which is hosting Olmsted tonight at 7:00pm via Zoom; registration is requested.

Update: here is a link to the Olmsted interview from Family Action Network.

A Season with Mom by Katie Russell Newland

“Love, Loss, and the Ultimate Baseball Adventure” is the subtitle of a forthcoming book named A SEASON WITH MOM by Katie Russell Newland.  Since it is 2021’s opening day (“Go, Cubbies!”), it seemed like a good time to review this memoir filled with the travels and reflections from Newland’s visits to all 30 Major League Baseball Parks during the 2015 season. She undertook the trip in homage to her mother who had died from cancer a few years earlier. Here is what Newland (herself a cancer survivor) has to say regarding this book about baseball and how it’s “also a love story. … of a mother and daughter and our passion for the Chicago Cubs, the perennial underdog. …of the fans and communities in which they reside. … of the pauses in life that give us an opportunity to self-reflect and to cultivate self-awareness – an opportunity to BE. …” At each park, Newland, often joined by a friend, shares some learning like commenting on “… the beauty of a new baseball season. Each year, you have a chance to start over, to be better, to do something different.” Filled with insights crafted as poignant letters to her Mom, Newland’s A SEASON WITH MOM is touching, comforting, and inspiring; a book to savor -- visit one ball park a day or a week or an hour.