From the Civil War to George W. Bush and the Iraq War, baseball's had a role in developing the American empire. From Albert Spalding and baseball's first World Tour to Bud Selig and the World Baseball Classic, the globalization of America's national pastime and baseball's role in spreading the American dream is evident. Besides describing baseball's frequent and often surprising connections to America's presence around the world, Elias assesses the effects of this relationship both in US foreign policies and on the sport itself.