"One Hundred Per Cent American": Nationalism, Masculinity and American Legion Baseball in the 1920s

"'One Hundred Per Cent American': Nationalism, Masculinity and American Legion Baseball in the 1920s," provides a sociohistorical analysis of baseball and social attitudes and ideologies of the pre- and post-World War I period, specifically focusing on the joining of nationalism and masculinity through the playing of sport. My work explores amateur baseball in the context of the post-World War I period (1920-1930), focusing on the American Legion's baseball program started during that same era. By incorporating the theorization of "hegemonic masculinity," first popularized by sociologist R.W. Connell and a major theme in the sociology of sport, I argue that amateur baseball constituted a distinct form of nationalist American masculinity that figured prominently in both the status of the sport and the understanding of gender within post-war American culture. By focusing on the instruction of these amateur players, I demonstrate how nationalism and masculinity converged through the kinesthetic "play"ing of baseball by young American males.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Kansas

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Bustad, Jacob J.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Tucker, Sherrie

• American studies
• United States--History
• Recreation
• American legion
• Baseball
• Masculinity
• Nationalism

Statement dc:rights

• This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.

Language dc:language.iso

EN

Dc Identifier Other

http://dissertations.umi.com/ku:10247

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kuscholarworks.ku.edu:1808/5328