***SEE BELOW FOR NEWS ON REPLACEMENT LUNCHEON SPEAKER***

Fifteenth Conference On Baseball in Literature in Culture
March 26, 2010

On the campus of Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Keynote Address: Dr. Jim Carothers, U. of Kansas, "Baseball Fictions and Baseball Facts"

***REPLACEMENT LUNCHEON SPEAKER***
Luncheon Speaker: Ferguson Jenkins, former Major League pitcher and Baseball Hall of Fame member.

The Fifteenth Conference on Baseball in Literature and Culture is soliciting 1-2page proposals for presentations to be given at the conference on Friday, March26, 2010. Presenters will have 15-20 minutes. Proposals should summarize the talk as clearly as possible. The conference theme defines "culture" loosely: in addition to baseball literature, topics could include aspects of baseball history, baseball in painting or music, readings of creative works (fiction,non-fiction essays, poems, plays), and so on. All presentations must follow the15-20 minute format. Statistical analyses of teams and players are not wanted.

Proposals should make clear how baseball relates to some aspect of local, ethnic,regional, national or international culture; we are particularly interested in accepting proposals for multi-disciplinary essays that examine the intersection of baseball and class in American and global cultures. Presenters of essays covering this deep, almost intrinsic connection between baseball and class will have the opportunity to submit papers for a peer-reviewed volume tentatively titled "Baseball and Class."

Proposals should be sent to Dr. Ron Kates, Department of English, Box 70, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, or by e-mail to rkates@mtsu.edu. Include on the proposal your name, address, phone number, school affiliation, and e-mail address. Those individuals who choose to e-mail proposals should send a hard copy by post as well. The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2010. Presenters will be notified of acceptance by January 31, 2010. Conference registration fee is 70dollars (for both presenters and attendees), which may be paid either in person or by mail.