Weekly post #1: Pete Rose and the HOF

Please read this piece on Pete Rose. I know I mentioned the Hall Of Fame briefly last week (voting happens next week), but this piece gets to something we will touch on the entire semester (especially in your first paper): how do you reconcile a past that might not be as glorious as you like? How do you bring that past into the present?

In this article, I especially love the paragraph that talks about the roll of a history museum (what the HOF is). To paraphrase, "a history museum's role is to educate and inform not influence."

What are your thoughts on this piece? Pete Rose being kept out of the Hall of Fame? I don't expect you to do any research on Rose. Reading this piece should give you enough to comment on.

Day 1: Let's get going

1. Course intro ... who am I and what do I expect? what are we going to do?
2. Who are you?
3. Major themes of the course: Big Papi knows (2016) and so does Casey at Bat (June 3, 1888 // published in SF Examiner)
4. Inning 1, Chpt 2 & 3 (25 mins)

The final project: 2016!

Solo time and then as a class:

1. What are some of the major themes we've talking about this semester?
2. What are some of the big questions we've asked this semester?
3. What are you curious about in terms of baseball that you'd like to investigate

Guiding principle:
Your final project must be thoughtfully connected to our work from the semester.

Unless you are writing a paper, you must teach a 20-minute mini-lesson.

1. It’s open to anything you want to do. But you must guided by a concisely articulated and well-supported thesis.
2. You will be responsible for visual and/or auditory elements in your presentation and an interactive component.
3. One reading posted to the class blog with guiding questions (related to your lesson) and posted two days before your lesson. Other groups must respond.
4. You will write a 1-page reflection piece on your process

Your peers will evaluate your lesson. You must fill out a self-evaluation (and partner, if working with a partner).

Expectations

You are expected to source heavily from our texts. You can use film as well as magazines and newspapers to complement our readings. You cal also use the blog postings.

Rubric

1. Preparation: How well did you meet the deadlines and how well are you meeting homework and in-class demands during the process?
2. Partnership: How well did you work in a pair dividing responsibilities and generating ideas together? And, sharing workload during the planning process and lesson? Did your partnership embody good collaboration?
3. Point: your argument & research: How sound and thoughtful is your argument? Is it based on good, smart evidence and research? How well do you understand and clearly articulate the ideas you are investigating? How unique/original is your argument? Is your argument compelling and original in thought?
4. Presentation & lesson: How clearly is your argument presented? How thoughtful is your lesson? Do you engage all members of the class? Do you employ different components of a good lesson? Are you prepared and composed? Is the lesson organized and well-paced?

Timeline

Mon May 2: brainstorm ideas as a class

Wed May 4: Guiding question due at end of class

Fri May 6: Research ideas, methodology and project outline due

Tu May 10: Work on project --> check-ins with Mary // thesis due at end of class

Th May 12: Work on project --> check-ins with Mary

Mon May 16: Work on project --> group workshop // research notes and bibliography due at end of class

Wed May 18: Finalize presentation --> solo day to work

Fri May 20: Presentations/Mini-lessons

Tu May 24: Presentations/Mini-lessons

Game of Shadows for Mark & Lance visit

Please post 3 questions for our visitors. Read what is posted before you, so as to avoid repeated questions.

Some info about Lance and Mark.

Mark Bio. And a fun read about Mark and his brother.

Lance Bio. And check out some of this articles. Good stuff!

GoS: the final reading

1. Quick Chris Ballard Skype interview
2. Final questions from groups ...


Seniors leaving on senior project: Due May 6 via dropitto.me/mcollie

Game of Shadows ... what are to make of this? What's the legacy of Barry Bonds and BALCO? And what impact has it had on baseball as America's national pastime? Your only source is Game of Shadows. I want you to answer the So What? 2-3 pages, double spaced, due by week's end. You should be asserting a strong argument and making some good claims. We've been talking about baseball in America a lot, so you should have plenty of ideas. You can use I. Think of this as a written grappling of some of our bigger ideas.

Seiichiro & the juniors
Let's talk about your last few weeks ... 7 classes + 2 to present findings (each presentation is a mini-lesson about 20 minutes long)

Post #12: Underpaid Young Stars (due April 24)

There is something about this piece I love. Maybe it's the tension between "underpaid" young stars and the big contract players they will someday (hopefully) become. I use quotes around underpaid intentionally because, let's get serious, even though these players are underpaid, they are making so much more money than the average American. That said, they are making much less than players who aren't performing as well or who have signed big deal contracts. I also find Teixeira's closing line to be quite fitting to the real culture of MLB. What are your thoughts?

Post #11: Drugs & Alcohol in 1986 (Due April 17)

Not necessarily the same class of PED as talked about in Game of Shadows, but amphetamines and alcohol we abused regularly in the mid-80s, especially on the championship Mets. An interesting piece from an insider about the culture of the team. Should these players be banned from Hall of Fame consideration? Their records torn down? What are your thoughts?