Sports | Baseball, softball » Lowell Edwin Folsom - Americas Hurrah Game, Baseball and Walt Whitman

Source: http://doksi.net Americas Whitman "Hurrah Game": Baseball and Walt Lowell Edwin Folsom to Passage Thou India! . rondure of the world ?Walt Whitman, at last accomplishd. "Passage to India" 1 8 8 8 - 8 9, American IN THE OF WINTER baseball set out on its own passage to India. Albert G to become the later Spalding, sporting goods effort" to the magnate, decided it was time to make a "Base Ball missionary was his for baseball enthusiasm his unbounded: world; (like alliteration) I claim the fact that Base Ball owes its prestige as our National Game that as no other form of sport it is the exponent to of American American Dash, Combativeness; Courage, Confidence, American Energy, Eagerness, Enthusiasm; Discipline, Determination; American Pluck, Persistency, Performance; American Spirit, Sagacity, Success; American Vim, Vigor, Virility. "Base Ball," concluded Spalding, "is a democratic game." Spaldings later

life sure that baseball would was dedicated as to forever be perceived making conceived, developed, and originally played only in the pristinely American: United States. He helped create the Abner Doubleday/Cooperstown immaculate of baseball and the of baseballs tainted creation-myth heresy conception fought (that it had been fathered by the English childrens game of "Rounders"). And he believed it was baseballs manifest destiny to export the American way of life to the rest of the earth. So as winter in 1888, descended on America to decided his successful White up Spalding pack Chicago Stockings along with a team of National the rondure of the League all-stars and accomplish world. baseball teams had once traveled to England in 1874, but this tour be the first that faced west from Californias shores. Starting from teams to San Francisco. across the continent the their way Chicago, played a Then they steamed on to Hawaii, where arrived they day late, and Sunday blue laws

prevented their game from being held. The teams had more success in New Zealand and Australia, where the emulous shouts of thousands cheered them on, and where Spalding announced to the players that they would indeed sail further: completely around the world. They did play in Ceylon, but just missed completing that their true passage to India when they were warned Calcutta was unhealthy; prudently they bypassed that country and traveled on as a through the Suez Canal. In Egypt, they used one of the Great Pyramids American would 68 University of Iowa is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to The Iowa Review ® www.jstororg Source: http://doksi.net In Italy they attempted to play as a backstop), but the Italian refused, despite Spaldings offer of $5,000. From there it was on government to Paris and a game in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower, then to England where the Prince ofWales politely watched a game and then diplomatically responded: "I

consider Base Ball an excellent game; but Cricket a better one." Arriving a Delmonicos were the world-travellers back in New York, greeted with dinner attended by such celebrities asMark Twain and future-President Theodore a game in the desert. backstop while playing monument in the Colosseum (with Caesars Roosevelt. The baseball ambassadors, relaxed and triumphant, now played their way across the East back to for a game stopping off first in Philadelphia Chicago, in Camden, Walt Whitman had and a banquet. Across the Delaware River tour teams steamed into New been following the closely. On the day after the discussed York harbor and were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers, Whitman the tour with his young friend, Horace Tr?ubel: "Did you see the baseball boys are home from their tour around the world? How I d like to meet them?talk the with them: maybe ask them some questions!" This desire to talk with in Americas athletes who, name, had saluted the world, was an

appropriate a reaction for Whitman. He had, after all, maintained lifelong interest in baseball, an interest that is significant because his adult life exactly coincides? and temporally?with of American baseball the development geographically with the from its birth to itsmaturity. Whitman, sport, eventually growing up came to see baseball as an essential for America. metaphor it was born in 1845 with of The the formation Baseball as we know Club in New York, where the first recognizable baseball rules Knickerbocker were set down in a new rule that writing, key including prohibited throwing at runner in order to put him out. This change immediately the ball the allowed for the use of the hard, lively ball that altered the nature of the game drastically?speeding things up, increasing distances, requiring quicker reflexes, a childrens game into a and promptly sport. turning full-fledged On June 19, 1846, the Knickerbockers played the first game of baseball new rules) at Elysian Fields in

Hoboken. And only a month later (under the Whitman, young editor of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, wrote an editorial on "Brooklyn Young Men?Athletic Exercises": "In our sun-down perambulations, of late, through the outer parts of Brooklyn, we have observed several parties of youngsters playing base, a certain game of ball. We wish such sights were more common among us. In the practice of athletic and manly sports the young more so than of nearly all our American cities are very deficient?perhaps can even could be mentioned." One other that this early on, see, any country more than forty years laterWhitman would be excited and proud about why to the world their athletic Americas manly baseball players demonstrating men skills. For in this early editorial Whitman exhorts the youth of the country 69 Source: http://doksi.net to . Let us go forth awhile, a little. "enjoy life Let us leave our . " Exercise rooms. close was and get

better air in our lungs. essential for success on the open from the start was most attracted road, and of all the forms of sport,Whitman to the young game of baseball: "The game of ball is glorious. "As baseball was born, then, it was bound up in Whitmans mind with immediately he would endorse his whole al fresco health. manliness, qualities life?vigor, Whitman followed his own advice; he was himself an avid player. His brother George recalled that while Walt generally "cared little for sport," he still "was an old-fashioned ballplayer and entered into a game heartily enough." or that Walt By "old-fashioned," George probably meant played "softball" was sometimes called "Town Ball" or "Boston baseball?what pre-Knickerbocker Ball" (since, inMassachusetts, that form of the game remained more popular than the hardball version until after the Civil War). Whitman had plenty of some version of "Town Ball"

with his students while he to opportunity play was on Long Island in the 1830s. school teaching in New York and In any case, baseball teams multiplied and flourished a decade after the Knickerbockers Within started. got things Brooklyn Brooklyn had four outstanding clubs?the Excelsiors, Putnams, Eckfords, and Atlantics? and there were over twenty-five well-organized clubs in the New York City area. Indeed, this version hardball of the game came to increasingly popular be known as "New York baseball." It had begun as a gentlemens game, but its demands proved to be democratic; the game insisted on conditioning and men not on social became skill, young breeding. Strong working-class quickly in the club involved, sometimes as "ringers" secretly paid by the gentlemen to Then their improve entire to win?the chances clubs working-class first were hints started of in "professional" the 1850s, many baseball. formed their own club, the barkeepers

firemen with according occupation?the a Scottish with theirs. Harry Eckford of Brooklyn, immigrant and shipbuilder, a young group of mechanics into the very first molded and shipwrights to and club, working-class named them, of course, the Eckfords. By the 1860s, the best teams were primarily made up of immigrants and men. A team, in fact, sounds like something working typical early Brooklyn Whitman would have approved of and had faith in; David Voigt, in American Baseball, describes The pitcher the players: was a former the infielders worked stonemason; the catcher, a postal employee; as compositor, machinist, shipping clerk, and were two the without outfielders, compositor. Among previous job as a compositor. The team substitute experience and the other worked once worked as a glass blower. The 70 occupations listed on early team rosters often read like aWhitmanesque Source: http://doksi.net catalogue Myself," printers, America. And it is not

surprising that in "Song of of working-class we after have been through a catalogue of carpenters, pilots, farmers, machinists, canal paving-men, boys, and we conductors, come upon an (in the vast catalogue of canto 33) image of baseball. At this point, Whitman is "afoot with vision," spanning the continent with his poetic catalogue, [his] when he records a refreshing group of manly pursuits: Upon the race-course, of base-ball, At he-festivals, with bull-dances, or enjoying blackguard picnics gibes, laughter drinking, or or a jigs ironical . good game license, So, in 1855, baseball is clearly one of the things Whitman enjoys, and is also one of the distinctive and identifying elements of the American experience that he finds worth into the of himself. song up and Growing absorbing in Brooklyn, working and living and walking inManhattan, Whitman working as a sport and it was developing found himself in the cradle of baseball while as an

institution. And as an editor of several local newspapers, Whitman of course functioned as roving local reporter and at times covered sports. He was one of our first baseball writers. One of his with box score? stories?complete is preserved, an 1858 article he wrote while editing The Brooklyn Daily Times. The opening line indicates the frequency with which Whitman attended ball between the "The and Putnam Atlantic clubs, games: game played yesterday on the was one of the finest and most grounds of the latter Club, exciting games we ever witnessed." Whitmans is a careful account one, summarizing the team and analyzing the effects of injuries on the hapless Putnam were disabled in the course of the game; protective two catchers who (including action equipment wouldnt make its appearance for another twenty years). He concludes, as usual, "The Atlantics, their reputation played splendidly, and maintained as the can We Whitman would admire the Club."

Champion imagine why a club of with outdoor Atlantics, Brooklyn composed workingmen jobs, and a club that same to into existence Leaves the Grassdid. year spring of happened These robust players dominated New York-area baseball for years, and gave the reputation of having the best baseball in the country. Brooklyn went to When Whitman D.C, at the end of 1862 to look for Washington, in the war, baseball had preceded his brother George, who had been wounded had formed its first two clubs, the Potomacs and the him. In 1859Washington both made up of government clerks. Their home field was literally Nationals, was not a member of either of the backyard of theWhite House. Whitman these teams, but as a clerk himself (first in the Indian Bureau of the Department of the Interior, then in the Attorney Generals office), he may well have joined in more informal games. His young companion Pete Doyle recalls Walt in the 71 Source: http://doksi.net was 1860s: "How different Walt in later

. years! He was an then inWashington athlete?great, great." from theWalt Whether or not you knew he played, to John in the summer of though, he certainly watched. He wrote Burroughs am around more 1866 of his activit?s: "I feeling hearty and in good spirits?go than to such usual?go doings as base-ball matches. ." The previous summer, was the Nationals had hosted a big inter-city and Whitman tournament, one of the 6000 fans there. All government let off clerks had been probably and even from work so they could cheer on the clerk-players of the Nationals, wrote about the game to one of the Andrew Johnson attended. Whitman soldiers he had nursed: "There was a big match played here yesterday between a two baseball clubs, one from club?& Philadelphia & the other Washington to come off between a New York & the is another club to-day Philadelphia I believe?thousands go to see them play?." The "New York" club Whitman the same

team he had covered refers to was actually the Brooklyn Atlantics, a few years before. In fact, the three teams in the tournament?Brooklyn, out to represent nicely and Philadelphia?turned the span of Washington, where had where Whitmans he he now lived, life?Brooklyn, Washington, across the river from where he would his final lived, and Philadelphia, spend nineteen years. The Civil War, of course, had a tremendous impact on baseball. Some clubs war or reduced operations as their players entered service. But in the suspended was an in it the Civil baseball War, fact, itself, important role; during played that it became the "National game." The "New York" version of baseball soldiers; it was frequently played in camp, and after caught on among Union the war the soldiers took it home with them. Older versions of the sport gave York baseball, which became firmly entrenched as the American way the war, itwas already popular; a Christmas game in 1862 drew

game. During to New soldiers 40,000 as spectators. Teams from some Union regiments, passing even And Whitman Nationals. played the Washington through the capital, could only have admired his hero-President, Lincoln, all the more for Lincolns own love of the game?he it as well. Confederate played baseball, and watched even was too. in Baseball the game, troops played prison camps, with played on sometimes Union their Confederate prisoners taking guards. And Albert Spalding makes the claim that, during lulls in battles, Union and Confederate troops occasionally played each other! Spalding, in another of his alliterative flourishes, expresses awe over baseballs effect on the war: human mind may measure the blessings conferred by the game of Base Ball on the soldiers of the Civil War. A National Game? no country on the face of the earth ever had a form of sport Why, with so dear a title to that distinction. Base Ball had been born in that the brain of an American soldier

reference to the myth [in No 72 Source: http://doksi.net Abner Doubleday invented the game]. It received its baptism in our Nations direst of bloody days danger. It had its early evolution when soldiers, North and South, were striving to forget their foes by cultivating, through this grand game, fraternal friendship with at the time when comrades in arms. It had its best development Southern soldiers, disheartened by distressing defeat, were seeking the solace of something safe and sane; at a time when Northern to turn from soldiers, flushed with victory, were yet willing fighting with bombs and bullets to playing with bat and ball. It was a to the on one panacea for the pangs and humiliation vanquished side, and a sedative against on the other. It healed memories. the the wounds natural exuberance of the victors of war, and was balm to stinging . on and on, the sport as a transcendent finally envisioning Spalding goes us a all "to future of

"beacon," lighting perpetual peace." Bloated as these claims sound, they are in line with those made by many own and at any rate they hardly outdo Whitmans right after the Civil War, see in the significance of the game: "I theWar, great growing faith, following our our It in American will take its baseball; game. things game?the people out of doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism. Tend a a nervous, to relieve us from being dyspeptic set, repair these losses, and be to us." Here Whitman concerns his with persistent blessing brings together and preservation of the Union. Baseball was one health, American originality, force that could affirm Americas "transcendental Union" called (asWhitman was one America and the the also bless post-war fragile bonding; sport it) thing the American game, grown out could claim as her own; it was non-European, of this soil. Even as his own health declined, Whitmans interest in baseball never

waned. Nationwide after the Civil War, baseball became increasingly popular in 1867 headed in and increasingly professional. The Washington Nationals the direction of the frontier by sponsoring the first baseball trans-Allegheny tour; they played as far west as St. Louis Their resounding defeat of the team led toHarry Wrights Cincinnati founding the Cincinnati Red Stockings team. For over a year in 1869, the first all-professional, fully-salaried Wrights team toured the country and was undefeated from New York to San Francisco. in 1876, the National League was formed and modern-day baseball was one As the rule evolved, game underway. particular though, change bothered concern in May of 1889; Thomas Whitman. Tr?ubel records Whitmans Harned, a devoted friend, had come to seeWalt after attending a baseball game, at the chance to talk about the state of the sport: andWhitman jumped Then 73 Source: http://doksi.net want to ask you a Tell me, Tom?I question: in base-ball is it the rule

that the fellow who pitches the ball aims to pitch it in such a way the batter cannot hit it? Gives it a twist?what not?so it or wont be struck fairly? slides off, affirmed that this indeed was the case, andWhitmans response indicates the game even if he was now too debilitated how carefully he still followed Harned to attend: the modern rule then, is it? I thought something of the read the papers about it?it seemed to indicate that there. Eh? Thats kind?I The rule that concerned Whitman has to do with the way the ball could rule forbade the throwing of the ball; be pitched. The original Knickerbocker so that the batter could to the ball be had instead, pitched underhand, smoothly, over it. hit This rule had been refined the years, first requiring that the hand not be raised above the hip, then requiring only that the hand pass below the as the ball was then only below the waist, then the shoulder pitched, hip was for side-arm the then, (allowing pitching). Originally, pitchers

function to one to put the ball in the hitter hit it; player usually play by allowing simply as the skills of the more refined, the players became pitched all the games. But more strategic. In 1884 the National League removed all pitchers role became restrictions on a pitchers delivery. The curve ball, which had occasionally in the 1870s, now became a requisite skill. been accomplished underhand-style was however, Whitman, change as endemic into everywhere "Democratic roundly," "The can snake, the hear echoes of to Harned, the cur, new this sneak all the saw and skill anger and rule entered of despair the custom "denouncing] seem the he saw creeping and lack of openness in his response tells us: as Tr?ubel the with impressed we America; Vistas" wolf, not of the deception into the I ought not to say that, for a snake is modern sportsman?though a snake because he is born so, and man the snake for other reasons, it

may be said." And again he went over the catalogue?"I should call it everything that is damnable." seems Harned is described as "amused" atWhitmans response, but Whitman on some earnest. matter in time and He has obviously had the his mind for has engaged in some lively debate about it: "I have made it a point to put the seems no doubt but that same question to several fellows lately. There certainly your version Whitman 74 is right, keeps hoping for that is the someone will version everyone "say it aint so," will gives me." Its affirm for him as if that Source: http://doksi.net baseball remains the fair and open and democratic game that he recalled it to be.Whitman already sensed the dangers that would come: the game becoming the pampered pitcher rising above his teammates and playing anti-democratic, once every five so come to pass that?with the days or (indeed, it has only and of hundred-mile screwballs, forkballs,

knuckleballs, arm-mangling magic is now the an-hour fastballs?pitching factor in the game). predominant to hold on to an idyllic vision Despite his fears, though, Whitman managed as of the game?baseball the best of essentially bound up with something one of his America. Tr?ubel, for example, recalls Whitman about talking favorite topics in the last years?the idea of "free Sundays," with no blue law restrictions on activities: Talking of Sunday agitation generally and Gloucester [New Jersey] baseball in particular W. said: "I believe in all that?in baseball, in picnics, in freedom: I believe in the jolly all-around time?with the parsons and the police eliminated." the same summer, Tr?ubel records that "W. believes in free Sundays " The boys should have their ball or any frolic they choose. Whitman here an to voice what would become American clich?: "Baseball, gives early picnics, nexus of American and freedom" formed a commonplace values.

Its useless, of course, to speculate who the "several fellows" might have been whom Whitman talked baseball with in his last years, but one fascinating hint does exist. Several times during 1888 Horace Tr?ubel records visits from a Harry was comment always without (except once, when Whitman Wright, irritated thatWright had stayed too long), and inWhitmans for Daybook on 25: visit As from 1885, Walt records, January Harry Wright." "Sunday, Later with Traubels references, there is no further comment that might help in Whitman identify this man, and he has in fact remained unidentified name as if Its that Tr?ubel scholarship. interesting, though, drops Wrights he is someone the reader probably would know. And there was one Harry in the Camden area in the 1880s whose name would have needed no Wright was William to everyone as Harry?a this fine Henry Wright?known gloss; we as have the founder of the first baseball seen, team, player and, professional the

Cincinnati Red Stockings. After his playing days, he continued in baseball as amanager and as chief of the umpires for the National League. From finally 1884-1893 (Whitman bought his house on Mickle Street in Camden in 1884 and lived there until his death in 1892) he was the prominent manager of one best baseball team, the National Philadelphias League Athletics. He was of the special guests at that Philadelphia dinner honoring the world-touring baseball players on their return to America in 1889; he talked to the players Whitman wanted so much to talk to himself. When we consider Whitmans 75 Source: http://doksi.net fondness for, interest in, and belief in the game of baseball, it at least seems people who fitting that Harry Wright would have been among the well-known to visit Whitman on Mickle Street. crossed the Delaware or not he knew baseballs no doubt Whether Harry Wright, though, theres that by the 1880s baseball had entered Whitmans very way of thinking. The American game

furnished him with figures of speech he seemed are fond and his conversations with Tr?ubel of, especially peppered with to express admiration for a baseball terms. So when he wanted particularly effective passage written by William evoked baseballs OConnor, Whitman democratic supreme offensive achievement, the home run: "Thats a home stroke. . O you can hit a thing like that off with absolute finality." He seemed attracted to baseball metaphors for their colorful, direct, and simple expressiveness. in terms of baseball, telling He even refers to his own writing techniques I have caught much for "That has been method: Tr?ubel, my mainly example, on the as come and go?on the of And the moment." spur fly: things they more some uses same to evoke the Tr?ubel of his image fragmented conversations with Whitman: "Two or three things I caught from W. on the fly, as I busied about the room." At that time, "on the fly" was an important new

baseball rules in 1845 allowed for an out if the term, since the original Knickerbocker ball was caught "on the first bound." Only gradually did this rule change; for or not the games they years, teams would stipulate whether played would be "on the fly" or "on the bound." If players chose to play on the fly, they had to be probably especially awake and alert, awaiting the unexpected. SoWhitman did not mean to imply, with the figure of speech, casualness about his poetic as alertness combined with an element of so much methods surprise: his that came his way, to "catch method was to be awake for every opportunity much on the fly." Once when discussing plans for an edition of his complete poetry and prose to wonder about a new with Tr?ubel, Whitman preface for the book. began or not one was needed. a He wavered about whether Finally he fell back on baseball story to help him make up his mind: "My hesitations make me think of a story. The

captain of a baseball nine was to be presented with a silver goes on to tell how the captain and the club spokesman pitcher." Whitman William: both the presentation prepared long speeches for the occasion, but when men both them: flustered about, wondering what ceremony came, "they forgot to do?then to to retreated their first causes, finally simple human nature?the spokesman exclaiming: Captain, heres the pitcher! and the captain exclaiming: Is that the pitcher? So the affair was a success after all, though not according to the rule set." Whitman of course admired this open honesty, this simple set rules and rehearsed elegance; unadorned speech from the heart, displacing set out to do the same thing. Here, then, was the simple his poetry, after all, had of the young American athlete, and good humor and straightforwardnesss 76 Source: http://doksi.net Whitman to emulate decided of speaking this baseball players way in his own writing: if the I guess I

11have to model my preface on that incident?and as successful as the incident Ill be satsified. "Captain, is half preface to get the heres the preface!" "Is that the preface?" We want whole into the the hands?thats object. right pitcher In recent years theres been a lot of serious talk about baseball. Scholars have or as a way of to American the sport as an analogue history in America American David the character; Q. Voigt Through understanding Baseball, for example, investigates the sport in relation toAmerican nationalism, sense of mission, American racism and the union ethic. And George Americas on and the American Dream," makes perhaps in "Baseball his Grella, essay examined the broadest claim: Occupying American sense countrys and culture. hope our national a heritage, unique place in of sports speaks as few other human activit?s as of profound . Anyone to understand itself. . The game as the most who does is as instructive,

significant not understand aspects the this most can to our as beautiful, of American game cannot the country. was seem to agree; Stephen Crane Many of this countrys best writers would as diverse as Marianne Moore, William a first-rate ball and authors player, Carlos Williams, James T. Farrell, Ring Lardner, Zane Grey, Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway, Bernard Malamud, Wright Morris, Robert Coover, John and all have used baseball as a major image at one time Roth, Updike, Philip or another. They are not alone: Anton Grobanis bibliography, Guide toBaseball Literature, runs to three hundred pages and thousands of entries. As Robert Frost said, "some baseball is the fate of us all." Its important, then, to realize that our most essentially American Walt Whitman, poet, was one of the first of our the vital first?to the recognize significance of baseball writers?perhaps to America. Tr?ubel once called it "the hurrah game of the republic," and Whitman, in good

humor, responded: our game: thats the Thats beautiful: the hurrah game! well?its chief fact in connection with it: Americas game: has the snap, go, to our as much atmosphere?belongs fling, of the American as our constitutions, institutions, fits into them as significantly, laws: is just as important in the sum total of our historic life. 77 Source: http://doksi.net No writer since has exceeded these and extravagant fervent for claims the baseball credo could only have been spoken by a man who game. Whitmans grew up with the sport; saw it develop from its slower, more sedate forms into saw the democratic a game of hardball with demanding "snap and go"; saw the to give way to the young demands of skill force gentlemen roughs; baseball team itself become an image of America, accepting and absorbing men them into from all walks of life, immigrants from all over the world, molding one a union body, committed to a common saw purpose; the sport, starting

coast to coast, spread westward and eventually be played from secure occupation of the continent; saw baseball, finally, Americas affirming the rondure of the world, become an athletic image of his soul, accomplishing from Manhattan, "Americas spreading game" and "the American atmosphere" to Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe, then returning home in triumph and comradeship. Whitman had often prophesied the eventual completion of Americas continental manifest destiny: "Long ere the second centennial arrives, there will be some to fifty great States, among them Canada and Cuba." Our Bicentennial forty has passed, and baseball even helped salvage this prophesy. Had he lived on into the twentieth century, Whitman have seen American baseball first would of manifest destiny by resettling the Brooklyn in Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Giants York Dodgers it also reached south to Cuba for some of its finest players and then went north to absorb

Canada, the National uniting Montreal?however improbably?into was set in motion Toronto into American. and the All this League assimilating the year after Whitmans the Western of death when League, progenitor make the ultimate confirmation and the New todays American League, was organized, and twentieth century baseball was on its way. The sport had into big business: the year begun its acceleration before Whitmans death the militant National Brotherhood of Baseball Players deserted the National League and began their own ill-fated league; it was the and players. As Whitman first bitter battle between management died, the as come to Era the of what would be known the Golden marked end country of baseball. Bibliographic Note comments are taken from his book, Americas National Game Spaldings American biased York: (New Sports Publishing Company, 1911)?Spaldings but fascinating history of baseball. More reliable histories of baseballs beginnings are Harold Seymours

Baseball: The Early Years(New York: Oxford University Press, 1960) and David Quentin Voigts American Baseball (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1966). Arthur Bartletts Baseball and Mr Spalding(New Albert York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 78 1951 ) contains useful information and anecdotes Source: http://doksi.net baseball tour. For a detailed debunking of Spaldings and for an accurate genesis of baseball, see Robert W. Hendersons York: Ball, Bat and Bishop: The Origin of Ball Games(New A. in Leitners Baseball: Diamond theRough(New Press, 1947). Irving Rockport York: Criterion Books, 1972) offers a helpful collection of photographs of early serves as the baseball artifacts; a quotation from Whitman epigraph for this in baseball literature. George book, the only use Ive found of Whitman on "Baseball and the American Dream" Grellas appears incomparable essay in The Massachusetts Review, 16 (Summer, 1975). Some of the recent books that examine the larger cultural

resonance of baseball include Leverett T. Smiths The American Dream and theNational Gdme(Bowling Green: Bowling Green about the 1888-89 worldwide creation myth, Doubleday Lee Umphletts The University Popular Press, 1975), Wiley theAmerican Experience (Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press, Q. Voigt sAmerica Through Baseball (Chicago: Nelson Hall, is Anton Grobani complete bibliography of baseball writing Sporting Myth and 1975), and David most 1976). The to sGuide Baseball Frosts Literature{Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1975). Some of Robert comments on baseball, including the one I quote, can be found in the essay, in his Selected Prose, edited by Hyde Cox "Perfect Day?A Day of Prowess," and Edward Connery Lathem (New York: Collier Books, 1968). comments to Horace Tr?ubel are all taken from Tr?ubel sWith Whitmans in Camden: vols. 1-3 (1905-1912; rpt New York: Rowman and vol. ed. of 4, 1961); Sculley Bradley (Philadelphia: University vol. ed. Tr?ubel Gertrude Southern

Press, 5, Pennsylvania 1953); (Carbondale: Illinois University Press, 1964). Whitmans newspaper articles can be found in Cleveland Rodgers and John Black, eds., The Gathering of Forces: Editorials, Dramatic Reviews and Other Material Written by Walt and and Essays, Literary Whitman as Editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1846 and ??47(New York: G.P Walt Whitman Littlefield, Putnams Sons, 1920); and in Emory Holloway and Vernolian Schwarz, eds., I Sit and Look Out: Editorials from The Brooklyn Daily Times byWalt Whitman(New are York: Columbia University reminiscences Press, 1932). Peter Doyles included in Richard Maurice B?cke, ed., Calamus (Boston: Laurens Maynard, recollections are in Tr?ubel, Bucke, and Thomas 1897), and George Whitmans B. Harned, In Re Walt Whitman (Philadelphia: David McKay, eds., 1893). from Whitmans Quotations poetry are from Sculley Bradley and Harold W. Blodgett, eds., Leaves of Grass: Comprehensive Readers Edition(New York: New are from York University

Press, 1965); passages from the correspondence Edwin Haviland Miller, York: New ed., The Correspondence, t842-?867(New about Americas York University manifest Press, 1961);Whitmans prophecy is in in Prose "Democratic Vistas," Stovall, ed., Works, destiny Floyd t892(New York: New Whitmans University is mentioned in York University Press, 1964), II. Harry Wright New and William White ed. York: York Notebooks, Daybooks (New it should be noted that once, in a weak Press, 1978), II. Finally, 79 Source: http://doksi.net moment in Boston, Whitman spoke of football with the kind of rapture that he usually saves for baseball (see Clifton Joseph Furness, "Walt Whitman Looks at Boston, "New England Quarterly, I [1928], 358). 80