In response to the challenge of strangers, sport arose as a sublimated representation of a community's armed might as well as its pride of place and clan. John Thorn arisearmchallenge Change image and share on social
Do we settle on a regional team because we can go to its ballpark and see its games on television? Or do we choose a team as our favorite because it has an especially appealing player, a Barry Bonds or an Ichiro? John Thorn appealballparkbarry share on social
Pursuing employment or climatic relief, we live in voluntary exile from our extended families and our longer past, but in an involuntary exile from ourselves and our own past. John Thorn climaticemploymentexile Change image and share on social
This was nostalgia in the literal Greek sense: the pain of not being able to return to one's home and family. John Thorn familygreekhome Change image and share on social
Distant replay morphs into instant replay, and future replay cannot be far off. John Thorn distantfutureinstant Change image and share on social
In over 160 years of recorded baseball history, no team had ever won a championship this way. John Thorn baseballchampionshiphistory Change image and share on social
This illuminates not only fans' interest in major league teams but also the minors and even Little League. John Thorn fanilluminateinterest Change image and share on social
We are fans because the game also appeals to our local pride, our pleasure in thinking of ourselves as, yes, Americans but nonetheless different from residents of other towns, other states, other regions. John Thorn americanappealfan share on social
Yes, we've seen it all before. And yes, those who do not study history are condemned to repeat it. But no, the sky is not falling - baseball is such a great game that neither the owners nor the players can kill it. After some necessary carnage, market forces will prevail. John Thorn baseballcarnagecondemn share on social
More fundamentally, it is a dream that does not die with the onset of manhood: the dream is to play endlessly, past the time when you are called home for dinner, past the time of doing chores, past the time when your body betrays you past time itself. John Thorn betraybodycall share on social