We'll start our work this term by looking at one of the fundamental works of baseball literature, and probably your first exposure to writing about baseball, Ernest L. Thayer's classic "Casey at the Bat." Originally published under the nickname "Phin" in the San Francisco Examiner in June 1888 — and with the much grander title, "Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888" — Thayer's poem is one of the first and finest examples of writing inspired by America's burgeoning national pastime. As the longer title implies, "Casey" is no mere tall tale, but a fairly detailed account of the sport in the late 19th century and a caricature of Mike "King" Kelly, one of the sport's first rich superstars, whose contract was purchased from Chicago by Boston for the princely sum of $10,000.
Nonetheless, as a uniquely American version of ancient Greek tragedy, "Casey" has captivated generations of readers and inspired numerous adaptations and homages. We'll consider a few of them alongside the original for our first proper class:
- Ernest L. Thayer, "Casey at the Bat" (Baseball's Best Short Stories, 1)
- Frank DeFord, "Casey at the Bat" (written for Sports Illustrated to honor the poem's centenary) (BBSS, 5)
- Robert Coover, "McDuff on the Mound" [PDF]
- Grantland Rice, "Casey's Revenge" (a 1907 sequel of sorts) [link]
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