PDF Summary:Wait Till Next Year, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Growing up in 1950s Brooklyn, Doris Kearns Goodwin learned about life through baseball. In Wait Till Next Year, Goodwin reflects on how her passion for the Brooklyn Dodgers shaped her childhood and strengthened her bond with her father. Through the ritual of tracking games and recounting plays, she developed skills that would later define her career as a historian while learning values like loyalty and sportsmanship.

Goodwin uses baseball as a lens to examine American society during this era. She explores how the sport reflected broader cultural shifts, from Jackie Robinson's integration of the game to the rise of television and the eventual relocation of the Dodgers to Los Angeles. Through her personal story, Goodwin shows how baseball functioned as more than entertainment—it was a cultural anchor that connected families, neighborhoods, and generations.

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(Shortform note: Goodwin’s father called her the Dodgers’ “lucky talisman,” but how could she have helped them succeed? In a study on superstition, researchers found that people who believed they had a lucky charm with them were more confident and willing to take risks. This suggests that believing in a lucky talisman can influence how people act, even if the talisman itself doesn’t have any direct effect on the outcome of a contest.)

Viewing American Life Through the Lens of Baseball

Goodwin argues that the sport reflects broader social and cultural changes in America. It’s a shared passion that unites people from different generations and social classes, serving as a small-scale model of American society. For example, when Jackie Robinson integrated baseball in 1947, it was a significant moment in the civil rights movement. By breaking the racial barrier in professional sports, Robinson paved the way for greater racial equality nationwide. Additionally, the relocation of teams from their traditional cities to new areas in the 1950s and 1960s reflected the growing influence of business interests in sports and the changing demographics of the country.

Baseball as a Reflection of American Society

Goodwin’s view of baseball as a reflection of American society is part of a larger tradition in sports history and sociology. Scholars have long argued that sports are a microcosm of society, reflecting and shaping social values, norms, and conflicts. In Past Time: Baseball as History, historian Jules Tygiel explores how baseball has been intertwined with American history, from the Civil War to the present day. He explains that Jackie Robinson’s debut in 1947 was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, as it challenged the racial segregation that had long been entrenched in American society. Tygiel also discusses how the relocation of teams in the 1950s and 1960s reflected the changing demographics of the country, as people moved from cities to suburbs and from the Northeast to the Sun Belt. Finally, he notes that baseball’s appeal across generations and social classes has made it a unifying force in American culture.

Next, we’ll look at how Brooklyn's baseball team shaped community life there, how Ebbets Field created unity, and how historical forces like television changed the American landscape.

The Dodgers and Brooklyn's Community Fabric

The Dodgers and Brooklyn's Everyday Life

The Brooklyn Dodgers were central to the daily life and community in Brooklyn. Goodwin's dad had been a fan since he was a child, and Goodwin herself prayed for the Dodgers every night. The team's 1955 World Series win was an experience of pure joy for the entire city, with Goodwin’s family joining the celebrations in the streets. Nonetheless, when the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1957, it was a devastating blow to Brooklynites, who felt they had lost a part of their identity.

(Shortform note: The Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles was especially devastating for Brooklynites because, by the 1950s, the borough had lost most of its political and cultural prestige. In the 19th century, Brooklyn was a city in its own right, but it was incorporated into New York City in 1898. By the mid-20th century, Brooklyn had few institutions that projected its name onto the national stage. The Dodgers were one of the last, and when they left, they took Brooklyn’s political visibility with them.)

Defining Moments: Unity and Heartbreak at the Dodgers' Brooklyn Stadium

The stadium was a place of unity and community for supporters. It was the Brooklyn home stadium of the Dodgers, where people could sit close to the field, hear the players, and see their heroes in person. It had many unique features, such as a beer sign that lit up to indicate a hit or an error, and a band of fans who played music to encourage the Dodgers and annoy the opposing team. The stadium allowed fans to witness historic moments, such as Jackie Robinson's debut game as the inaugural African American player in Major League Baseball. This created a sense of belonging and identity, in addition to a range of emotions, from pride and excitement to sadness and disappointment.

The Stadium as a Battleground

The stadium, Ebbets Field, was built in 1913 on a small block in Brooklyn, New York. It was a compact and landlocked ballpark that was well-suited for the trolley-car city of the early 20th century. However, as the city grew and changed, the stadium became a battleground in the conflict between Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley and Robert Moses, the powerful city planner. The stadium's inability to add parking or expand its footprint became a symbol of the struggle between urban renewal, highway construction, and the fate of the Dodgers in Brooklyn. In The Last Good Season, Michael Shapiro explores the history of the stadium and its role in the changing landscape of New York City.

Shifting Sands: Historical Forces and the Decline of the Dodgers

Societal Shifts and the Changing American Landscape

Television changed how people experienced entertainment and news. This new technology quickly became commonplace in U.S. homes. In 1946, the country had just 7,000 televisions, but as of 1950, 3 million sets were in use, and at the decade's close, 50 million families owned a television. Television brought people together, providing a fresh shared experience. Families and neighbors gathered to watch shows, and both kids and grown-ups enjoyed the entertainment. Television also brought news and information into households, making it easier for them to stay informed about current events. In 1951, Goodwin could watch the Dodgers on television for an entire season, which was a first for her.

The Impact of Television on Social Capital

In Bowling Alone, political scientist Robert D. Putnam argues that television played a significant role in the decline of social capital in postwar America. He contends that the rise of television viewing led to a decrease in community engagement and participation in civic activities. Putnam notes that television viewing became the dominant leisure activity for Americans, replacing time previously spent on social and community activities. He explains that television viewing is an individual activity that isolates people from one another, reducing opportunities for social interaction and community involvement.