// War Literature

It is very interesting that DeLillo decides to use the baseball game between the Giants and the Dodgers to compare with war. At first glance, one may not really see much of a connection between the two. One person even considered it an “escape” from war. I completely disagree.

One of the major differences between baseball and other sports, such as soccer or basketball, is that there is a lot less physical activity, and a lot more mental activity. Although many people consider the sport to be dull and boring, it is actually the opposite. When playing baseball, every single player on the field has a different job to do, just like in any sport. But once the ball is thrown, everyone’s job changes relative to where the ball goes. Baseball is a psychological game, and every player is constantly thinking of what they must do when the ball is hit. And the tasks are always different, because it all depends on where the ball is going. This can be directly related to war, in that everyone has a certain job to do, relative to the situation of the battle. This also can relate to the Cold War going on behind the scenes. The Cold War was considered an arms race, where both the U.S. and the Soviets were waiting for the each other to make the first move, so they can react. This is the exact concept of baseball, because the players must wait for the ball to be hit first before they can react to it.

Baseball is similar to modern warfare, in that it is more about strategy than anything else. In order for a team to win a baseball game, everyone has to complete different individual tasks in order for the whole team to win. The same thing goes for war. One person cannot fight a war alone, and one person cannot win a baseball game alone. For example, say you are in center field, and there is a runner on 2nd base.  if the ball gets hit to you out in center field, then the runner has enough time to run around 3rd base and go straight home. So, if there is a runner on 2nd base and the ball gets hit to you, you have to throw home. At the same time, the catcher has to be ready for you to throw it to them at home plate to tag the runner out. Also, after the ball is hit, the pitcher has to run behind the catcher, to back him up in case he misses the throw.This is very similar to the different duties of soldiers and officers in war. One man has to shoot, one man has to cover, one man has to radio coordinates to the headquarters, etc.

Although the game between the Dodgers and the Giants may seem peaceful, it really is it’s own mini-war. Both teams are arch enemies fighting to win, and each inning is an individual battle.  And in the last inning it took a bomb-or a homerun-to end it.  I can think of a few wars that were exactly like that.