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"

Luncheon Speaker: Lee Smith, former Major League pitcher and Hall of Fame candidate. 

TheFifteenth 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 thetalk as clearly as possible. The conference theme defines "culture" loosely: inaddition to baseball literature, topics could include aspects of baseballhistory, 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.

Proposalsshould make clear how baseball relates to some aspect of local, ethnic,regional, national or international culture; we are particularly interested inaccepting proposals for multi-disciplinary essays that examine the intersectionof baseball and class in American and global cultures. Presenters of essayscovering this deep, almost intrinsic connection between baseball and class willhave the opportunity to submit papers for a peer-reviewed volume tentativelytitled "Baseball and Class."

Proposalsshould be sent to Dr. Ron Kates, Department of English, Box 70, MiddleTennessee StateUniversity, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, or by e-mail to rkates@mtsu.edu. Include on the proposalyour name, address, phone number, school affiliation, and e-mail address. Thoseindividuals who choose to e-mail proposals should send a hard copy by post aswell. The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2010. Presenters will benotified of acceptance by January 31, 2010. Conference registration fee is 70dollars (for both presenters and attendees), which may be paid either in personor by mail.