The first African American to play in baseball’s recognized major leagues, William Edward White, appeared in 1879, followed by brothers Fleetwood and Welday Walker in 1884. The fourth African American, Jackie Robinson, did not make his major league debut until 1947. This sixty-three year gap has become known as the era of “black baseball”—a time when two generations of African American players were excluded from the existing major leagues. This anthology provides insights into black baseball during this extraordinary time, spotlighting players who characterized its special flavor and spirit. Based on 40 years of research and hundreds of interviews with surviving participants and observers, these essays preserve a crucial time in our country’s history and provide a thoughtful perspective on the Negro Leagues. / https://dc.etsu.edu/alumni_books/1032/thumbnail.jpg

On January 1, 2000, the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) imposed maximum bat performance limitations on commercial softball bats. The ASA adopted a testing standard defined by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) to determine the bat performance factor (BPF), a normalized coefficient of restitution that must be less than 1.2 for the bat to be eligible for ASA sanctioned events. The ASTM standard requires that the softball strike the bat, which is free to rotate in the horizontal plane, at 26.8 mfs ± 0.3 mfs (88 ftfs ± 1 ftfs) with little or no spin. The central project goal was to develop the ASTM test apparatus, which consisted of a precision ball launcher, a pivoting stage for the bat, and instrumentation for velocity measurements. The key feature of the testing apparatus developed in this project was the ability to measure the rebound velocity of the ball directly-ASTM method derives the ball rebound velocity by assuming the bat behaves as a rigid body and applying conservation of angular momentum. Tests revealed a discrepancy in the BPF between the ASTM method and an alternative method,. termed the direct method, which uses the direct measurement of the ball rebound velocity. Furthermore, the ASTM method proved to be very sensitive to parameter errors, demonstrated by magnification factors between 2.0 and 3.0. The direct method was insensitive to parameter variation with magnification factors between o and 1.0. The ball rebound velocity discrepancy was also analyzed with mechanism simulation software. A three-degree-of-freedom model of the bat was used to test the effects of elasticity and pivot friction. The analysis determined that applying conservation of angular momentum on an elastic body caused transient errors in the derivation of the ball rebound velocity; and pivot friction significantly affected the motion of the bat and thus, the derived ball rebound velocity. The experimental results show that the direct method was more accurate than the ASTM method in calculating the BPF; and the conclusion of the analytical model shows that the ASTM method can be corrected by precisely identifying external moments in the system.

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Dept. of Economics, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Batting is known to be one of the most complex motions in sports. Successful hitting may be influenced by many factors, one of which is response time (RT). Response time is known to be altered by various training techniques such as isokinetic and isometric weight training. Eighteen, right-handed female college softball players were measured for RT with three methods, experimental in design, using an Automatic Performance Analyzer.In addition, hitting performance was determined through film analysis of bat velocity while swinging at a ball delivered from a pitching machine. A Locam camera was used for the cinematography techniques.From this initial testing, three equivalent groups were formed. One group served as a control, while the other two groups performed two contrasting seven week isotonic training programs: 1) a rapid dynamic (RD) group performed many, quick light weight activities; while, 2) the slow exercises. The rapid dynamic group had their exercises triggered by an auditory stimulus. Following the seven week training program, RT and batting performance were again determined. Pre- and post-training response times were analyzed using an analysis of variance and covariance with p=0.05.The results of the RT post-test analysis indicated that response times were not significantly decreased for any of the tests. Film analysis was inadequate to make any conclusive judgments on bat velocity.The following conclusion is warranted from the results: isotonic weight training did not significantly decrease response time for either the slow dynamic or rapid dynamic group.

This thesis explores how the market size of Major League Baseball Teams affects their player valuations. By examining player eligibility for arbitration and free agency, and players' Wins-Above-Replacement, I determine the factors that teams value for making player valuations based on their market size. I also examine the impact of television revenue and revenue sharing on player valuations. Ultimately, I determine how smaller market teams are able to remain competitive using alternative methods of player valuations against larger market teams.

This thesis examines the extent of the diffusion of baseball across the world. Tracing the diffusion of baseball, and the diverse receptions the game has encountered on foreign soils, holds out the prospect of offering many insights into the global spread of sport and our understanding of the processes of globalization in general. By examining different responses to baseball, and developing our empirical knowledge on the extent of its diffusion, we will be in a position to draw more reliable and valid conclusions than have, thus far, been offered in relation to the global diffusion of baseball specifically, and globalization processes more generally. The thesis endeavours to determine the extent to which baseball can be regarded as a global sport. This objective will involve charting the development of baseball in America, its diffusion to other countries and the different receptions the game has received on foreign soil, via a series of national case studies Given the magnitude of global diffusion processes it is hardly surprising that its study has attracted the attention of academics from a number of disciplines and orientations. This particular thesis tests the figurational approach, assessing the adequacy of this approach in being able to make sense of the global baseball figuration. It does this by first providing an outline for the incipient modernization, and subsequent sportization, of baseball in America. Then a cross-sectional analysis of the diffusion and development of baseball in various countries throughout the world is presented, for the most part via a critical analysis of secondary source material. In order to supplement the secondary source material, questionnaires were sent to all national governing bodies for baseball across the world (109 in total). The principal focus of the empirical aspects of this thesis is on the development of baseball in England. Extensive documentary analysis of archival newspaper sources was carried out in the National Newspaper Library, Colindale, London. Alongside this, several oral history interviews were conducted with baseball players who had played in this country before the 1950s. Furthermore, interviews were conducted with administrators involved in the running and promotion of the game in this country. Analysing the diffusion of baseball around the world, and the different responses to attempts to develop the game, and subsequently analysing in much greater depth the developments and responses to baseball in England, enables us to engage in more informed comparative analysis. On the basis of this thesis it is concluded that the argument that baseball is a 'global sport', is a highly exaggerated view of baseball's global profile. The fact of the matter is baseball has only enjoyed sustained periods of success in a handful of countries in Asia and Latin America. Furthermore, it is argued that the theoretical premises of figurational sociology are both sensitising and illuminating; and provide a more object-adequate analysis of the global baseball figuration than other theoretical approaches allow. In this respect, the central figurational concept of dynamic and differential power relationships is key to developing our understanding of the global baseball figuration, and globalization more generally. The concept of lengthening chains of interdependency is a far more illuminating, and therefore more useful, way of conceptualising the process by which baseball has undergone diffusion, than concepts such as Americanization, American cultural hegemony, imperialism, or, indeed, globalization.

Thesis (M.S.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007. / "A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science." Under the direction of Daniel R. Czech. ETD. Electronic version approved: May 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-54) and appendices.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Masters)--Texas Tech University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-97).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1948. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 166-170).