Michael C. Hawkins, PhD

The Amazing Story of An All-Star Filipino Baseball Team and Their Barnstorming Tour of the US in 1914" - American imperialists frequently used athletic performance as powerful metric to gauge the civilizational status of their colonial subjects.

By 1914 the United States had begun a process known as "Filipinization" in the Philippines, which devolved more power to Filipinos in the colony. Interestingly, one of the greatest endorsements of the program was the outstanding performance of an all-star baseball team composed of a diverse collection of Filipinos from across the islands.

Their performance, and more importantly, their mastery of the jargon, culture, and strategies of America's pastime endeared them to American audiences and made a powerful symbolic statement regarding Filipino capabilities and eventual self-rule. This story is full of fascinating characters, amazing and humorous historical anecdotes, and powerful lessons regarding the history of empire, American culture, and athletics.