Baseball beyond Borders by Frank P. Jozsa (review)

Baseball beyond Borders provides a significant contribution to the research on the international baseball community. It begins with a review of the previous work on the subject and the book’s place within the current literature. The next chapter summarizes baseball in different countries, which the reviewer finds extremely interesting. The first section discusses Asian locations and is divided between areas with a strong baseball attachment (Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan) and a not so strong attachment (China). Japan has the longest history of baseball; however, with the defection of players to Major League Baseball (mlb), it is expected that the play on the field and finances will be negatively impacted. The defections are not unique to Japan, as players have also left South Korea. The future looks bright in Taiwan as a place for the future baseball stars in the United States and the world. Baseball is just beginning to grow in China with a partnership from mlb. One part of the partnership has college coaches from the United States assisting in the development of Chinese ballplayers, while the other part has Chinese coaches traveling to the United States to learn from mlb managers.

The section on baseball in Latin America is interesting in the commonalities and differences within the area. For example, the sections on Mexico and Puerto Rico discuss the inability of the areas to attract the “nomadic” Montreal Expos to their location due to several financial considerations. In Mexico the issues include a small stadium and the economic standing of the peso, while Puerto Rico also had a stadium issue and demographic differences from Washington dc, the eventual home of the Montreal Expos. In the Dominican Republic, baseball is king, and the author illustrates how the spectacle of the games distracts the citizens from thinking about their poverty. There is also a small discussion on the academies established by Major League Baseball teams, as they attempt to locate the next Albert Pujols or David Ortiz. The reviewer believes a more detailed discussion on the icy relationship between the United States and Venezuela would have strengthened the subsection on this country.

The section on Europe is much shorter, as the author investigates the continent’s continuum between the increasing interest in baseball in the Netherlands and Italy and the modest development of baseball in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. The author states that one of the problems is that fans have trouble understanding some of the game’s strategies.

The next section expands on the baseball academies, explaining the positive and negative impacts. It also cites a report that critically questioned mlb’s governing of their academies. The most refreshing review of the academies are the ones in Mexico and Puerto Rico, which not only teach boys the game but also educate them in subjects like math and history. The next sections explain the global amateur draft and drug policy. After reading this book, the reviewer believes that Major League Baseball is moving in the right direction in one area—an international player draft. However, the drug policy needs to be stronger and fairer. The chapter ends with a fascinating history of the World Baseball Classic.

The next two chapters discuss international major-league players and their locations divided by American and National Leagues. Each chapter has similar sections, for example, historical information, performances, and experiences. In the historical section, the author examines immigrant players from the beginning of the leagues to the present. One of the more fascinating discussions is when the author divides the players by their teams and positions. The reader is easily able to examine which teams are more likely to use international players than others and if some positions are more represented than others. The performance section reviews awards, the Hall of Fame, and the 2012 All Stars. The author investigates steroid suspensions and salaries in the experiences section. However, the reviewer found the subsection entitled “First Foreigners on Teams” to be the most interesting. An example is Yan Gomes...