Hi again, it's Shannon, your podcast producer here at C-SPAN.

While lectures and history is on its winter break, it's a special series on the history of baseball.

In this lecture from May of 2015, UCLA professor Joan Waugh takes us on a journey through baseball's transformation into America's national pastime.

She explores how baseball evolved from casual neighborhood games into a nationwide phenomenon,

complete with packed stands, organized leagues, and a thriving business model.

From codifying the rules to capturing the hearts of middle-class America,

Professor Waugh uncovers the strategies and stories that made baseball the cornerstone of American culture.

More after this.

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Good morning, UCLA students.

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