In small towns throughout America, neighbors have gathered on summer evenings at Minor League stadiums, clambering into seats with popcorn and cheap beer in hand. Many of these Minor League towns were former textile and railroad hubs, hit hard in recent years by various economic forces, yet baseball persisted. That is, until 2020, when Major League Baseball (MLB) drastically contracted the minors, shutting down 42 teams. In HOMESTAND: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America (Doubleday), journalist and veteran Will Bardenwerper looks at the impact of this decision and what it says about America’s core values through the lens of one small town in upstate New York. This poignant memoir celebrates a working-class community that fought to keep their small baseball team alive. It’s not just a story about America’s pastime— it’s a story about America, and where we go from here.

WILL BARDENWERPER has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harper’s and other outlets and is the author The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What History Leaves Unsaid. He served as an Airborne Ranger–qualified infantry officer in Iraq and was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge and Bronze Star. Before working in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, he received a B.A. from Princeton and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University. He will be available for interviews for pieces timed to publication, as would several of the memorable people who make up the Muckdog fanbase.

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