ABSTRACT
In the first half of the twentieth century, baseball became the undisputed leader among American sports, solidifying its claims to be the national pastime. As baseball came of age, promoters perpetuated the Doubleday myth of its origins; professional teams built magnificent stadiums of steel and concrete; and owners created the modern structure of the major leagues, including the annual World Series that capped regular season play. Shrewd economic decisions on the part of major team owners, bolstered when the Supreme Court exempted baseball from federal antitrust legislation, put the sport on a firm financial footing and helped it weather trials that included war, depression, scandal, and periodic disunity. Dramatic stars–most notably the inimitable Babe Ruth–kept fans involved. Barred from the major leagues, African American players, coaches, and promoters created the alternative Negro Leagues, which showcased some of the nation’s finest players and whose all-star games could fill major league parks. Baseball also extended its reach further into Latin America and the Caribbean, building new fan bases and new pools of talent.
