Joy in Mudville: Essays on Baseball and American Life

This collection of essays by experts on baseball history focuses on the national pastime as a marker of our times and our cultural ideals. Topics include the rise of baseball in the nineteenth century, the influence of iconic players from Honus Wagner to Jackie Robinson, the fates of great teams well known (the Yankees and Orioles) and undeservedly obscure (the Elite Giants), and the advances of Latinos and blacks on the field and in the broader culture.

John B. Wiseman is professor emeritus of history at Frostburg State University. He taught American history for forty years and has written several books and numerous articles on film history. He is working on bringing a minor league baseball team back to Cumberland, Maryland, where he lives.