When Baseball Isn't White, Straight and Male: The Media and Difference in the National Pastime

This book analyzes how sportswriters have discussed issues of race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual identity, age and class within professional baseball from 1998 to the present. Each chapter looks at the media representations of a specific controversy–the 1998 home-run chase, Alex Rodriguez’s historic contract signing, Barry Bonds’ home runs, Mike Piazza’s “I am not gay” press conference, Effa Manley’s Hall of Fame induction, the celebration of Jackie Robinson’s legacy, as well as the various incidents involving performance-enhancing drugs. The author puts it together and reveals what messages are being conveyed by the issues.