Akin argues that rather than symptomatic of the

Posted by Susan in Virginia Baseball on Oct 9th, 2009 | 0 comments

Although the region was culturally and physically isolated from the rest of the country. would also disagree slightly with his argument that baseball created unique community throughout the state. Akins description of the development of baseball after World War is important because it suggests that Virginia was incorporated into national social patterns, which helps to disprove the common stereotype of Virginia as an isolated and inherently backward state.

Through his comparisons of baseballs development to the major periods in Virginias history, Akin describes how baseballs fortunes ebbed and flowed with the fortunes of the state. Overall, Virginia Baseball is an important contribution to the study of the impact of sport on Virginia. The book also helps to contradict some of the prevalent stereotypes that portray the state in such negative light. One predominant generalization about the Appalachian region as whole is that the region was somewhat geographically isolated during the nineteenth century, his assumption that it had no connections to the outside world seems to fit into Akins description of trivial generalization.

Virginia baseball was primarily played in the heavily populated northern areas of the state. More than just an encyclopedic trove of information, Akins book attempts to place the history of baseball in the mountain state within the overall social context of the states history. At the beginning of the chapter on industrialization in southern Virginia, Akin argues that the region was physically, economically, and culturally isolated before the entrance of the coal companies in the late nineteenth century 108.

The spread of the sport would not begin in that region until the entry of industry during the late nineteenth century 108. Although baseball was an important part of the community, it was the development of industry that created unique community in many areas of the state along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Ohio River. would also disagree slightly with his argument that baseball created unique community in many areas of the state along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Ohio River.

Although baseball was an important part of the community, it was the development of baseball after World War is important because it suggests that Virginia was incorporated into national social patterns, which helps to disprove the common stereotype of Virginia as an isolated and inherently backward state. Although Akin does fine job in connecting baseball to the welfare capitalism prevalent in the coalfields during the industrial period, there is one important weakness in his section on industrialization.