I am still enjoying America’s Game. I could blame not finishing the book yet on its length, but it is more likely the fact that I can’t seem to make myself focus on one book at a time.

As a follow up on my earlier post, The End of Television or What’s Baseball Got to Do With It?, and also related to Fleeing the Suburbs?, I found it interesting that some blamed pro football’s ascent over major league baseball in the 60’s on the fact that Americans where leaving the city for the suburbs and didn’t want to travel back for baseball games. To that claim the Mets charismatic manager Casey Stengel retorted, “Well, I guess all the fans moved back to town for football season.”

I think this likely did play a role. The NFL playing fewer games and primarily on Sundays allowed it to become appointment television and an event to attend in person. There is more time and less traffic for suburbanites to head downtown on weekends versus baseball’s 81 home games played throughout the week.