From a National Book Award winner, a riveting look at the intersection of baseball and society in America on the eve of World War II. In 1941, as America stood on the brink of World War II, the nation found a welcome diversion on the baseball diamond, where the rivalry between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees captivated fans as superstars Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio racked up records.In that year, America's pastime reflected the nation's values, the admirable and the ugly alike: Black citizens were segregated into the overlooked Negro Leagues, while women called for a professional league of their own. As the country reached a boiling point, so did baseball - and after 1941, neither would ever be the same.Through extensive archival photographs and thrilling accounts of the game and the country that became obsessed with it, Martin W. Sandler and Craig Sandler vividly portray the season that would change baseball forever.