If there’s anything that’s immediately identifiable around the world as “uniquely American,” it’s baseball. Filmmakers have often tried to capture the cultural resonance of baseball throughout the years, through such landmark movies as The Natural and Field of Dreams. Is the sport the same glue for society that it was a century ago, in light of the rising popularity of basketball and football? And what is it about the game that’s made it such a welcome setting for storytelling? My guests are Stephen Wood and J. David Pincus, editors of the book Reel Baseball, a collection of essays about the relationship between baseball, Hollywood, and American culture. [Originally broadcast on WLUW’s Under Surveillance in October 2007.]
- October 25, 2007
Baseball in Cinema, w/guests Stephen Wood and J. David Pincus
Kevin Fullam is a writer and researcher, with extensive experience in fields ranging from sports analytics to politics and cinema.
In addition, he has hosted two long-running radio series on film and culture, and taught mass media at Loyola University.
Episodes of his two shows, Split Reel and Under Surveillance, are archived on the Radio page.