Crafting the National Pastime's Image: The History of Major League Baseball Public Relations

Abstract

William Hulbort went: the door of his hotel room, locked it, put the key in his pocket, and explained his astonished guests that he wished to make it impossible for any of you go out until I have finished what I have say you.1 Hulbert, owner of the Chicago White Stockings, then outlined the owners of the other major clubs of professional baseball players how they could turn the game of baseball into a profitable business. As they formed the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs (NL) on 2 February 1876, these owners established a method for organizing the business operations of Major League Baseball (MLB) that has lasted until today. Hulbert's partner Albert Spalding explained this system in the following manner: Like every other form of business enterprise, Base Ball depends for results upon two interdependent divisions, tho one have absolute control and direction of the system, and the other engage - always under the executive branch - in the actual work of production. Spalding argued that just because the players were the actual entertainment producers did not mean that they should actually manage the entertainment itself.2 When discussing MLB's business system, most historians focus on the industry's labor or political relations, or on individual MLB officials.3 Conversely, this study examined how MLB officials used provide this system with legitimacy. This analysis suggested that: 1) MLB officials used relations-type strategies decades before the term public relations was coined; 2) those strategies were designed promote baseball as the national pastime and advocate the team ownership business system; and 3) the industry's owners and their relationship with the sports media and the external environment had an impact on the institutionalization and use of the function. The study of MLB warrants scholarly review for several reasons. Few studies on in business history literature exist, and the histories of many industries and corporations are incomplete because their programs craft an image for their businesses have not been investigated or evaluated.4 Those studies that do examine the impact of on the corporate image often focus on managers of the function such as Arthur Page (ATT that is, constantly evolving toward a higher ideal of becoming a management function. Rather, a longitudinal study of MLB history shows the uneven maturation of the function within the industry, as well as how MLB officials consistently used the function as an image-building and image-maintenance device. The purpose behind the MLB industry's initial and continued use of was promote baseball as the national pastime and ensure and support for the owner-managed organizational system. This indicates that, in at least one industry, was developed not maintain mutually beneficial relationships,6 establish and mutual lines of communication,7 or serve both the organization and the interest8 as some commentators who have defined the field have suggested, but advance the corporate interest. Definition of Public Relations The standard, normative definition of as a function that builds and manages relationships with key publics fails fully explain how Major League Baseball officials used the function. …