The Recent Diffusion of Baseball

The geography of major-league baseball remained unchanged between 1903 and the early 1950s. Major-league baseball was played only in the Northeast and the Great Lakes states and was not directly accessible to the bulk of the American population until the development of national radio networks in the 1920s.

In the 1950s, major-league baseball began to diffuse nationwide (Figure 6-10). The growth of cities in the Sunbelt and the availability of air transportation were factors in this expansion. By 1955 the Philadelphia Athletics had moved to Kansas City, the Boston Braves to Milwaukee, and the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore. A dramatic leap to the West Coast occurred in 1958, as the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles and the New York Giants moved to San Francisco. With the addition of twelve teams to the major leagues between 1961 and 1993, the sport had diffused throughout the country. Today, only a small minority of Americans live more than a day's drive from a major-league baseball stadium, and most Americans can watch ten more major-league games each week on cable television.

Figure 6-10 Major-League Baseball Diffusion. In 1950 major-league baseball was restricted to the Northeast and the Great Lakes states. Today, it has diffused to the South, the West, and to Canada

Baseball has also diffused from its origin in the United States to many other parts of the world. The sport is especially popular in the Caribbean nations, Central America, and East Asia. American military personnel, active in numerous conflicts throughout the Caribbean and Central America between 1900 and 1920, were responsible for the diffusion of baseball into this region. American troops taught baseball to local residents, and the game has remained popular in this region ever since.

In the Caribbean, professional baseball is played during the winter months. Many of the players are local stars who play for U.S. teams during the American summer season; others are Americans who are sent by their teams to the Caribbean to improve their skills. Early each spring, the champions of the various Caribbean professional leagues compete in an international championship tournament.

Baseball is also very popular in Japan (Figure 6-11). American soldiers, missionaries, and business executives introduced the game to Japan in the late nineteenth century. On several occasions prior to World War II, teams composed of professional American players toured the country. Japan's first professional team, the Yomiuri Giants, was founded in 1935. A few years later, organized league play began.

Figure 6-11 Japanese Baseball. Baseball was introduced into Japanese culture in the late nineteenth century and is largely American-influenced

As in the case of the Caribbean countries, Japanese professional baseball is American-influenced. Several American players have become stars in Japanese professional baseball, although league rules restrict each team to two foreign players. Japanese amateur and professional teams regularly tour the United States, especially during the spring training period. In 1992 executives of the Nintendo Corporation became part owners of the American League's Seattle Mariners.

Recently, efforts have been made to promote baseball in Australia. Australian officials are encouraging the development of a professional baseball league whose games would be played during the Australian summer (which corresponds to the American winter). These promoters point out that young Americans can avoid language barriers, culture shock, and the threat of political violence by playing in Australia rather than in the Caribbean.

Baseball was accepted as an Olympic sport by the International Olympic Committee in 1984. As a result, its popularity may continue to increase in Europe, Asia, and Africa in the years ahead.