Tales of Interest: Part Four

Part four of my paper, so here we go...

Tying the black and white information together. The members of the subculture do in fact meet the criteria for a subculture. These people make stuff, act together, speak the same, and do everything that a real subculture does and needs.

The fact is that sports fans (or baseball fans) are overlooked by sociologists because they [the members of the subculture] don’t meet the certain requirements.

So, tying EVERYTHING together, a concluding piece on what it means to be a member of the subculture. To be a member of the baseball youth subculture, means that you are of middle class origins and are predominately white. Most of the members outside the major cities [in the suburbs] are of middle-class socioeconomic background.

Whereas the members inside the major cities are predominately lower-middle to working-class socioeconomic background. It seems that to be a full (true) member of the baseball subculture, the socioeconomic background of the participant really does not matter, but rather the overall knowledge of the sport and of a specific team.

The more one knows about the sport, its intricacies, and the history of the sport, the better chance one has of becoming a full (true) member. The members of this subculture express varying beliefs.

Some beliefs are that if nonmembers: it is just a sport in which overpaid, grown-up kids get to play and your chances of playing the sport at the professional level are slim to none.

Some, if not most of the true members express a philosophy of: “my team is better than yours, so get out of our way”. Most, who believe in this philosophy above, are believers in the “Turf Mentality” philosophy or the belief that their team is better than everyone else’s.

Turf Mentality, boils down to simple gang philosophy, in that the baseball subculture is comprised of small, localized “gangs” of fans who follow their team, and fight with other team’s fans when they come to watch their team play.

When it comes down to politics, the leaders are that of the fan groups. But when it comes to politics on a national level (actual voting), some vote for certain players, managers, etc. The authorities really have no problem with the subculture, as long as they are sober and not drunk.

Alcohol and members of the youth subculture don’t mix, especially when certain teams travel into certain areas (i.e. Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and Chicago).

To emulate the professional General Managers and Owners of the Major Leagues teams, members create fantasy leagues. These fantasy leagues allow members to create the ultimate roster. “And it really is like Christmas morning. Draft day is one of favorite days of the year” (Halverson, Halverson 286).

This was a quote from a fantasy baseball league player. This reinforces the notion of a created product. Their product may or may not gain/ earn them (or anyone) any money (unless bets are placed in the league), but it is a serious part of the subculture.

The fantasy sports leagues are a “concept of competitive fandom” as Erica Rosenfeld Halverson and Richard Halverson put it (286). The turf mentality that was brought up earlier also plays a key role on the field. Social class and status can be used to determine whether or not a team or group of kids will play,

"The sociocultural and political significance of gentrification is observed. By using the FSA to observe difference between the ‘newcomers’ and the established ‘Fairmounters,’… gives insight to how power and entitlement within the community play out" (Wazienski 4).

Here one can see the turf mentality in effect within the FSA (Fairmount Sports Authority), within Philadelphia’s public recreation leagues. But the fact is many baseball leagues are racially divided. Meaning… take for example if you look at the inner-city Philadelphia recreational baseball leagues, one would most likely see more African-American than White boys playing.

"…The marginalization of African-American fans in urban environments that are often centered in neighborhoods that are more heavily populated by minorities is both provocative and illuminating. As affluent and middle-class suburban white fans funnel into newer retro ballparks, few of them appear to question that they are part of an experience that is largely artificial" (Trumpbour 853).

Here one can see how racially divided the subculture really is.

In conclusion, baseball is a youth subculture because it breaks away from that “All-American” subculture. The facts is that not only does it break away but breaks away in such a fashion that it creates several small groups called “fan bases”.

These fan bases are what comprise of the baseball subculture. At first one would think that something as simple as the American Pastime is not a youth subculture, but one would have to delve deeper to discover that not only do members of the baseball subculture break away from the big picture… but subvert it as well.

Works Cited part four:

David, Nickolas W., and Magret Carlisle Duncan. “Sports Knowledge Is Power: Reinforcing Masculine Privilege through Fantasy Sport League Participation.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues 30.3 (2006): 244-246. 14 Nov. 2008 

Halverson, Erica Rosenfeld, and Richard Halverson. “Fantasy Baseball: The Case for Competitive Fandom.” Games and Culture 3.3-4 (2008): 286-308. 14 Nov. 2008 

Klein, Robert. “Play Ball!: A Selective History of the Round Object That Gives the National Game Its Name.” NINE: A Journal of Baseball and Culture 2.2 (2001): 237-247. 8 Oct. 2008 

Trumpbour, Robert. “Sport and Urban Landscape.” Journal of Urban History 33.5 (2007): 848-856. 14 Nov. 2008