'Hardball and handshakes' documents labor in sport

April 9, 2005

It was opening day for the latest curriculum learning module, as described by Paul Cole, state AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, and Jeffrey Arnett of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at the RA Friday morning.

Developed in association with NYSUT and the American Labor Studies Center, "Hardball and Handshakes: Labor Relations in Baseball History" is a standards-based thematic unit for high school and college students.

"The transition of the national pastime from a social sport to a professional industry provides a unique lesson in free enterprise through the evolution of contracts and commerce," said Cole, a former social studies teacher and emeritus member of the NYSUT Board of Directors.

"From boardrooms to locker rooms, the teamwork to earn a voice and a seat at the table has forged an important, time-tested principle: Labor is not a commodity," he said.

To learn more, visit www.baseballhalloffame.org or www.labor-studies.org.