When Baseball Isn't White Straight and Male

<p> This book analyzes how sportswriters have discussed issues of race ethnicity nationality sexual identity age and class within professional baseball from 1998 to the present. Each chapter looks at the media representations of a specific controversy--the 1998 home-run chase Alex Rodriguez's historic contract signing Barry Bonds' home runs Mike Piazza's I am not gay press conference Effa Manley's Hall of Fame induction the celebration of Jackie Robinson's legacy as well as the various incidents involving performance-enhancing drugs. The author puts it together and reveals what messages are being conveyed by the issues.</p>