Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Mexican Questions
2. Hecho in America con Mexican Parts
3. Home Teams: Making Place for Mexican Tournaments
4. Ballplayers in Barrio Life
5. Men and Women in Gendered Fastpitch
6. Between the Lines: Softball as Utopian Form
Conclusion: Patriotic, But We Love Our Culture Too

About the Author

Ben Chappell is Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Kansas.

Reviews

"Ben Chappell's Mexican American Fastpitch is among the best ethnographies about Mexican Americans. Documenting the rich story of a community that has been too often overlooked in terms of vernacular tradition and geographic location, he pushes anthropologists and Chicanx Studies scholars to reconsider our academic notions of 'culture' and 'ethnic/racial' identity and performance. Chappell's evocative description made me a fan of a sport that I previously knew little about."
—Michael L. Trujillo, University of New Mexico "Fast-pitch softball provides a social space unique to Mexican Americans. It supplies elements vital to the community: a place where traditions, language, and culture thrive. It is a vehicle for leyendas who have inspired generations. Ben Chappell's work informs us that local sport is a powerful tool for community uplift and solidarity."
—Jorge Iber, Texas Tech University