The Empire Strikes Out
How Baseball Sold US Foreign Policy and Promoted the American Way Abroad

Its our gameAmericas game: it has the snap, go, fling of the American atmospherebelongs as much to our institutions, fits into them as significantly as our Constitutions laws, [and] is just as important in the sum total of our historic life.Walt Whitman on baseball Is the face of American baseball throughout the world that of goodwill ambassador or ugly American? Has baseball crafted its own image or instead been at the mercy of broader forces shaping our society and the globe? The Empire Strikes Out gives us the sweeping story of how baseball and America are intertwined in the export of the American way. From the Civil War to George W. Bush and the Iraq War, we see baseballs role in developing the American empire, first at home and then beyond our shores. And from Albert Spalding and baseballs first World Tour to Bud Selig and the World Baseball Classic, we witness the globalization of Americas national pastime and baseballs role in spreading the American dream. Besides describing baseballs frequent and often surprising connections to Americas presence around the world, Elias assesses the effects of this relationship both on our foreign policies and on the sport itself and asks whether baseball can play a positive role or only reinforce Americas dominance around the globe. Like Franklin Foer in How Soccer Explains the World, Elias is driven by compelling stories, unusual events, and unique individuals. His seamless integration of original research and compelling analysis makes this a baseball book thats about more than just sports.