John Fox, The Ball: Discovering the Object of the Game
05/15/2012 7:00 pm
“Anybody
who has ever thrown, caught, bounced, hit (or whiffed) a ball will
mightily enjoy John Fox’s stories of where all these balls came from,
and why, from our earliest days, they have been such an integral part of
the very fun that makes us human.” Frank DeFord, author of The Old Ball Game
From
Mexican jungles to the small-town gridirons of Ohio, from medieval
villages and royal courts to modern soccer pitches and baseball parks,
"The Ball" explores the little-known origins of our favorite sports
across the centuries, and traces how a simple invention like the ball
has come to stake an unrivaled claim on our passions, our money, and our
lives. Equal parts history and travelogue, "The Ball" removes us from
the scandals and commercialism of today's sports world to uncover the
true reasons we play ball, helping us reclaim our universal connection
to the games we love.
John
Fox has excavated ancient ball courts in Central America, traced Marco
Polo's route across China, and bicycled Africa's Rift Valley in search
of human origins. He has contributed commentary to Vermont Public Radio
as well as Smithsonian, Outside, and Salon, among other publications. He lives in Boston.
“Anybody
who has ever thrown, caught, bounced, hit (or whiffed) a ball will
mightily enjoy John Fox’s stories of where all these balls came from,
and why, from our earliest days, they have been such an integral part of
the very fun that makes us human.”
