The CBL’s English website has a brief but interesting timeline of the history of baseball in mainland China from 1863 to the present. Most notably, the cruel twist of fate in the mid 1950’s–where Mao banned baseball, forcing a painful half century of watching that game where they take dives and roll on the ground to get free points upon the Chinese population.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Shinsano // Jan 4, 2009 at 2:07 am
1959 Under the leadership of the all-wise Chairman Mao, military and civilian teams attend lessons on “Baseball in the New China”. Soon later, all teams are disbanded and baseball is outlawed as an evil western influence
That’s kind of interesting. I wonder what the lessons were all about.
Might just be worded incorrectly.
2 DJ // Jan 4, 2009 at 8:55 am
I think the term they would have used back then was “re-education”.
3 Shinsano // Jan 4, 2009 at 9:57 am
That’s what it would seem like. Would they really go to the trouble to create some kind of lesson or seminar on that?
If so, it’d be fun to see it.
4 Westbaystars // Jan 4, 2009 at 8:11 pm
The book Baseball without Borders has a chapter about baseball and the revolution. The coup that overtook China got their training on baseball diamonds, and from the sounds of it, started at baseball fields and spread out to overtake the military at the time. To make sure that such a coup never happened again, baseball was then outlawed.
At least, that’s how I remember the story. I can’t find my copy of the book any more. It is a very interesting read, though. As are the baseball histories of Korea and Taiwan.
5 Westbaystars // Jan 4, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Hmm. Reading that timeline, it looks like I had my revolutions mixed up. All the more reason to find that book and re-read it.
6 DJ // Jan 5, 2009 at 7:43 am
I think the “lesson” was more along the lines of the tea party at the beginning of the Manchurian Candidate. So if you think that was fun, have at it!
Leave a Comment