This is a presentation on the relationship between Major League Baseball and American Civil Religion. Originally presented at the Conference on Sport and Spirituality in York, England and updated at a 2008 conference in Washington, DC.

1. Take Me Out to Church The National Pastime and the Transmission of American Civil Religion (An Update) Christopher Born The Catholic University of America Washington, DC

3. Ball signed by Pete Rose December 2005

4. “ Sports is, somehow, a religion.” – Michael Novak Jim Borgman, The Cincinnati Enquirer , March 30, 2008

6. Baseball as folk religion civil religion Reprinted with permission. Jim Borgman, The Cincinnati Enquirer (31 March 2003).

15. The worst of times?

16. Associated Press , 1998 John Biever, 1998 Walter Iooss, Jr., 1998 Saviors of the National Pastime?

18. Gerald Herbert, The New York Times , 2005 Mark Wilson, Getty Images, 2005 Getty Images, 2005 Could this be worse?

24. Was baseball losing its effectiveness as moral transmitter?

27. 11.07% 44.46% -8.77 55.53% 8.77 Averages 9.02% 34.57% -25 53 28 43.59% -10.00 44 34 San Diego 1.66% 43.21% -11 46 35 44.87% -8.00 43 35 San Francisco 13.34% 39.74% -16 47 31 53.09% 5.00 38 43 Colorado 15.72% 41.98% -13 47 34 57.69% 12.00 33 45 Arizona 14.39% 44.87% -8 43 35 59.26% 15.00 33 48 Los Angeles Dodgers 14.81% 33.33% -26 52 26 48.15% -3.00 42 39 Pittsburgh 13.34% 39.74% -16 47 31 53.09% 5.00 38 43 Cincinnati 5.75% 49.38% -1 41 40 55.13% 8.00 35 43 St. Louis 10.29% 48.15% -3 42 39 58.44% 13.00 32 45 Houston 9.64% 50.62% 1 40 41 60.26% 16.00 31 47 Milwaukee 14.65% 53.25% 5 36 41 67.90% 29.00 26 55 Chicago Cubs 10.45% 32.05% -28 53 25 42.50% -12.00 46 34 Washington 17.19% 35.90% -22 50 28 53.09% 5.00 38 43 Atlanta 7.50% 48.05% -3 40 37 55.56% 9.00 36 45 Florida 9.64% 50.62% 1 40 41 60.26% 16.00 31 47 NY Mets 3.37% 54.32% 7 37 44 57.69% 12.00 33 45 Philadelphia 8.93% 32.10% -29 55 26 41.03% -14.00 46 32 Seattle 11.53% 41.56% -13 45 32 53.09% 5.00 38 43 Oakland 1.95% 47.44% -4 41 37 49.38% -1.00 41 40 Texas 1.09% 61.73% 19 31 50 62.82% 20.00 29 49 LA Angels 2.04% 44.87% -8 43 35 46.91% -5.00 43 38 KC 6.22% 42.50% -12 46 34 48.72% -2.00 40 38 Detroit 11.97% 43.59% -10 44 34 55.56% 9.00 36 45 Cleveland 23.46% 43.21% -11 46 35 66.67% 26.00 26 52 Minnesota 23.02% 43.21% -11 46 35 66.23% 25.00 26 51 Chicago White Sox 8.48% 38.27% -19 50 31 46.75% -5.00 41 36 Baltimore 10.59% 47.44% -4 41 37 58.02% 13.00 34 47 Toronto 9.26% 50.00% 0 39 39 59.26% 15.00 33 48 NY Yankees 22.36% 48.15% -3 42 39 70.51% 32.00 23 55 Boston 20.37% 50.00% 0 39 39 70.37% 33.00 24 57 Tampa Bay H/A Differece AWin % Diff Away Ls Away Ws HWin % Diff Home Ls Home Ws Team (2008 thru 9/25)

28. 4.80% 47.64% -3.83 52.43% 3.93 Averages -11.11% 54.32% 7 37 44 43.21% -11.00 46 35 San Diego 9.88% 50.62% 1 40 41 60.49% 17.00 32 49 San Francisco 11.11% 39.51% -17 49 32 50.62% 1.00 40 41 Colorado 4.94% 54.32% 7 37 44 59.26% 15.00 33 48 Arizona 2.47% 51.85% 3 39 42 54.32% 7.00 37 44 Los Angeles Dodgers 17.28% 29.63% -33 57 24 46.91% -5.00 43 38 Pittsburgh -14.81% 48.15% -3 42 39 33.33% -27.00 54 27 Cincinnati 17.10% 48.75% -2 41 39 65.85% 26.00 28 54 St. Louis -6.17% 60.49% 17 32 49 54.32% 7.00 37 44 Houston 4.94% 39.51% -17 49 32 44.44% -9.00 45 36 Milwaukee 9.88% 49.38% -1 41 40 59.26% 15.00 33 48 Chicago Cubs 0.00% 41.98% -13 47 34 41.98% -13.00 47 34 Montreal -9.88% 59.26% 15 33 48 49.38% -1.00 41 40 Atlanta 20.91% 36.59% -22 52 30 57.50% 12.00 34 46 Florida 7.41% 46.91% -5 43 38 54.32% 7.00 37 44 NY Mets 9.88% 48.15% -3 42 39 58.02% 13.00 34 47 Philadelphia -2.47% 72.84% 37 22 59 70.37% 33.00 24 57 Seattle 4.94% 60.49% 17 32 49 65.43% 25.00 28 53 Oakland 8.02% 41.98% -13 47 34 50.00% 0.00 41 41 Texas 3.70% 44.44% -9 45 36 48.15% -3.00 42 39 Anaheim Angels 6.17% 37.04% -21 51 30 43.21% -11.00 46 35 KC 9.88% 35.80% -23 52 29 45.68% -7.00 44 37 Detroit -2.32% 57.32% 12 35 47 55.00% 8.00 36 44 Cleveland 11.11% 46.91% -5 43 38 58.02% 13.00 34 47 Minnesota 11.11% 45.68% -7 44 37 56.79% 11.00 35 46 Chicago White Sox -3.24% 40.74% -15 48 33 37.50% -20.00 50 30 Baltimore -1.22% 50.00% 0 40 40 48.78% -2.00 42 40 Toronto 10.24% 54.32% 7 37 44 64.56% 23.00 28 51 NY Yankees -0.63% 51.25% 2 39 41 50.62% 1.00 40 41 Boston 14.81% 30.86% -31 56 25 45.68% -7.00 44 37 Tampa Bay H/A Diff AWin % Diff Away Ls Away Ws HWin % Diff Home Ls Home Ws Team (2001)