Will Bardenwerper’s Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America explores how the decline of minor league baseball in rural America mirrors broader societal shifts. Through the lens of the Batavia Muckdogs, a team from upstate New York, Bardenwerper delves into themes of community, identity, and the impact of corporate decisions on local life.
The Muckdogs were among 42 minor league teams contracted by Major League Baseball in 2021. Despite losing official affiliation as a minor league team, they found new life by joining a collegiate summer league under local ownership. Bardenwerper immerses himself in the community, attending games and engaging with fans, to capture the essence of small-town baseball and its significance beyond the sport itself. The author’s time in Batavia in 2022 coincides with the Muckdogs’ run to the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League title series, and the book captures a number of moments in both the town and the team over a few months.
Homestand serves as both a tribute to the enduring power of community through the author’s personal storytelling, as well as a critique of the forces that threaten to erode it. Bardenwerper’s work is a timely reminder of the importance of preserving local institutions and the connections they foster in an increasingly corporate world.
MY RATING: 4.5
