The dual-language (English and Spanish) Pleibol In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas takes readers on a journey into the heart and history of U.S. Latino baseball. Extraordinary stories of Latinas/os are paired with artifacts from their remarkable lives to demonstrate the historic role baseball has played as a social and cultural force within Latino communities across the nation for more than a century and how Latinos in particular have influenced and changed the game. Through baseball, Latinas/os have celebrated a shared cultural heritage, made a living, and fought for rights and justice. Pleibol tells stories that represent how one becomes part of a community; how the game can bring together people regardless of race, class, and gender; and how fans can participate in the culture of the sport as easily as players do. It illustrates how baseball has provided an important platform from which to celebrate and challenge what it means to be American. Each chapter features stories and artifacts from the Smithsonian exhibits of the same name to bring seemingly disparate pasts and present together, revealing how baseball is more than a game.