Communitas can be considered an important value to the world of sports. However, some people do not understand the concept of communitas. According to Victor Turner (1969), communitas is “an unstructured community in which people are equal, or to the very spirit of community,” (New World Encyclopedia). Trujillo’s study of baseball showed what he thought of communitas. In his periodical, Interpreting (the Work and Talk of) Baseball: Perspective on Ball Ballpark Culture, Trujillo (1992) said that ballpark community results in the development of interpersonal relationships at yearly “family reunions,” known as employee orientation (Western Journal Communication). Communitas is thought differently by other writers and scholars. However, they all come to a Turner’s conclusion that it deals with a temporary community that is equal in every way and is there for single purpose. …show more content…
However, how it does depends on the sporting event and occasion. For example, in ESPN’s 30 for 30 First Pitch, all MLB games were postponed after the 9/11 attacks. When President George W. Bush threw the first pitch for the World Series the whole country was routing for the New York Yankees to win. The film showed fans wearing different franchises’ merchandise while holding us signs showing their loyalty for the Yankees. For instance, a shot from the film showed a person wearing a St. Louis Cardinals shirt while holding up a sign that said “Our spirit will not be defeated.” Other people held up signs that said “Chicago loves New York: God bless America, and Red Sox fan: I love N.Y,” (ESPN). This showed that fans did not care where they were from. They agreed they were all Americans, and were there for one purpose: to watch the New York Yankees. When President George W. Bush threw the first pitch, the whole stadium went wild. Baseball then became a symbol of American unity, and communitas had brought them
These social connections and sense of community created by the team for the fans, is a key factor in fan experience (Fairley & Tyler, 2012). The final solution addressed in this paper is one that will aim to create both a sense of community and social environment outside of the ballpark. Marketing executives of the Braves should consider setting up off-site locations so non-game attendees
In terms of racial inequality in baseball there have been many eras of integration. Baseball originally is seen as America’s national game belonging to the white men of America. However, throughout history there have been steps taken in recognizing and integrating those groups deemed “less favorable” by the American community. These groups include German immigrants, Irish immigrants, African Americans, Latinos, Native Hawaiians, Native Americans, and Asians. America used the game of baseball as a tool to indoctrinate the American ideals and values of teamwork, working hard, and collaborating for the greater good into the cultures of the “uncivilized world.” These groups used baseball as a medium to gain acceptance into the American community as racially equal counterparts.
Baseball was different in the 1700’s and 1800’s from today things change jersey, rules and African Americans playing with whites. Things changed a lot, there was a big difference with the blacks and white playing together. A lot of whites didn’t like blacks playing with them. White people they didn’t feel that everyone had equal rights so they did not respect them. They call black people names and bad words but one player changed it named Jackie Robinson after he played with all the disrespect he gotten he didn’t care how whites saw blacks. All he wanted to do was play the game of baseball. He stood up for what he wanted and did whatever to make things change. Some white people was okay with playing with an African American but most of them weren’t. People were really Segregated with black they didn’t want no parts of blacks, no friendship, partner nothing they just didn’t wanna make peace with them but after Robinson stood up for what he wanted, Pee Wee Reese Respected him because all he wanted to do was to play baseball just like Jackie. Pee Wee Reese ...
Baseball, America’s pastime, is embedded in the fabric of society. The players and teams have come and gone, but the thing that remains constant is baseball’s ability to unite people as well as families. My own personal experience of this came right after September 11th, 2001. Following the tragedy that was 9/11, the country needed something to help everyone return to normalcy. In our moment of weakness and uncertainty, baseball helped calm my nerves. Fifty three thousand three hundred and twelve brothers stood up in unison and took back their lives. The electricity of that game, the sense of regularity in my life, and the knowledge that millions of people were finding comfort together with me during such a hard time, helped me feel a sense of closure that the worst was behind us.
As a faithful follower and player of American Baseball, this topic was of extreme interest to me. The origins and history of a lifestyle that I have dedicated the overwhelming majority of my life to has always caught my attention. Baseball, being America’s national sport, is a crucial illustration to understand when discussing the overall societal circumstances at that time. One of baseball’s most important tasks was integrating the sport and allowing people of every ethnicity to have a chance to play the sport at an equal playing field. Although we now know that the efforts to desegregate baseball were ultimately a success, to what extent were the efforts a direct success during that time period? Did the unification of different ethnicities in America’s national sport have an effect on the amount of time desegregat...
Rick Reilly, in his ESPN column (2007), contends that sports competitions are more than simple games, instead, they are events capable of bringing people together in unique ways. He reinforces his contention by integrating inspirational anecdotal evidence, bold syntax, and unvarnished diction. Reilly’s purpose is to point out the importance and humanity of sports in order to convince a college professor and readers of sports magazines that sports writing is indeed an advanced and valuable profession. He assumes a humorous tone (“...most important- sports is the place where beer tastes best”) for an audience of sports magazine readers, but more specifically, a professor that told him that he was “better than sports.”
Baseball, in the 1940s, was not an integrated sport, but rather followed a separate but equal policy. While the white players got paid a lot of money to play in the Major Leagues, the sometimes superior black players were left to play in the Negro Leagues, which did not pay as well. Many of these players gained notoriety through this league, such as Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. While their records beat numerous of the white players records, racism was too bad to justify integrating the Major Leagues without someone who would not fight the callous abuse that was sure to come their way. One man was successful in finding the right man to play. Branch Rickey made baseball history by signing a black player to the Dodgers in 1947. The Negro League star players questioned his choice in players, but ultimately Rickey made the right decision by signing Jackie Robinson.
Its America’s pastime. Since 1869, the MLB has been the sweetheart of American sports. A requisite to be a true American is to have a conceptual understanding of baseball; the seventh inning stretch, “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” as well as hotdogs and warm summer nights at the ball park are all favorite memories of American pastime. However, what one might not realize is the extreme physics behind the game. The velocity of the pitch, and degree of the ball exiting the bat, the exit speed, and how an outfielder throws are entailed within the physics of baseball. It is important to understand the physics involved with baseball to grow in understanding and appreciation of the sport.
Baseball has for a long time been a staple in the American sporting culture as baseball and America have grown up together. Exploring the different ages and stages of American society, reveals how baseball has served as both a public reflection of, and vehicle for, the evolution of American culture and society. Many American ways including our landscapes, traditional songs, and pastimes all bear the mark of a game that continues to be identified with America's morals and aspirations. In this paper I will be addressing the long residuals of baseball as it specifically relates to the emergence of the American nation and its principles of nationalism. This is a particularly important issue because baseball seems to be a perfect representative system having many comparative analogies to the larger system of development, America. Since the sport first emerged, baseball and America have shared the same values, responded to the same events, and struggled with the same social and economic issues. To learn of the ideals concerning the sport of baseball in America, is to know the heart and mind of America.
Many Americans have seen or at least heard of the movie “Remember the Titans.” The classic film focuses on a school that is blending black and whites and taking on an African American head coach. The coach knows the importance of winning, but also knows the team must work together to get those wins and have respect for every single person in the locker room. Although coach Boone was still put in a tough situation with the school board and the community, he was able to lead his team, with the help of a white assistant coach, to an undefeated season. The team coming together is exactly what America does with sports. Most everybody can come together and enjoy sporting events. By saying “everybody”, that includes all races: white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and so on. Sports are America’s past, present, and
With about 83 players currently to in the MLB, 682 players since 1950, and so far 2 players in the Hall of Fame with much more to get inducted, it’s clear that the Dominican Republic dominates the game of baseball. In the Dominican Republic, baseball is the country’s pastime and official sport. Baseball doesn’t discriminate, regardless of gender, race, and economic status. In my personal view, baseball runs in the blood and embedded in the genetic coding of Dominicans. As a person whose mother and father are Dominican and born and raised in Miami, there seems to be little to nothing that connects me to their culture. Nonetheless, this Miami-born Dominican- American is proud to say that the sport I love the most can connect me to the Dominican
Impact: Alexander Cartwright’s changes made the game faster-paced and more challenging while setting it apart from games like cricket and rounders. In 1846, the Knickerbockers (Cartwright’s team) played the first official game of baseball against a team of cricket players, beginning a new, uniquely American tradition. In a matter of years, baseball became a professional
Jiobu, Robert M., “Racial Inequality in a Public Arena: The Case of Professional Baseball”. Social Forces , Vol. 67, No. 2 (Dec., 1988), pp. 524-534 Oxford University Press
‘Field of Dreams’ is a diversified script that constantly evolves, but mainly revolves around the game of baseball, ‘the greatest game ever invented’. The game that according to some avid spectators, completely and thoroughly transcends and binds the country to past, present, and future--generation to generation. In this movie this national pastime represents an avenue that finds the connection to the soul of a great audience; somehow insinuating that baseball acts as a means of fulfilling individual spiritual needs. These needs are that of a ‘sense of belonging’, a need to participate in sport, either vicariously as a spectator or directly as a participant. Moreover the desire to engage in distraction and play may be intrinsic to the human psyche. The theme throughout the movie was based on the legendary story of the Chicago White Sox of 1919, where the question was raised on the issue of the team’s “sportsmanship” and the ethical behavior of several teammates during the World Series. This left the image of America’s most idolized team tarnished and lead up to a ban of eight players from the sport; for an ‘unsportsmanlike’ like conduct in the series. The public view of the game up until then was that of perfection, it was clean and straight; but afterwards, the lack of fair play especially coming from such highly ranked players, ended up affecting fans’ enthusiasm for the entire sport. As the movie nears its ending, Robinson evolved on the concept of having utterly devoted fans and as if in a mystified manner drew them in to this already mystical place, just to have them see the most idolized team of ‘the golden age’ play once again.
The movie Invictus brings up several key points about the media in everyday life. One of the most prominent points brought up in the film is that sports have the power to bring people together and unite them with a common goal. Sports are an enormous part of the media and cultures all over the world. Whether it be the Super-bowl, World Cup, or Olympics, millions of people continue to unite and cheer for the teams they support. The reason in which sports often unites people is that it gives people something in common with one another. No matter what race, age, or gender, people of all types enjoy watching and supporting sports teams which is why it is such a powerful means to unite people.