As civil unrest in predominantly Muslim communities has spread across France during the past two weeks, multiple reports have alluded to rioters wielding baseball bats. Now, why do people usually own baseball bats? The simplest answer is that they like to play baseball. Who knew our national pastime had such a following in the banlieus of Paris? (Baseball gloves would be useful for fielding all those tear-gas canisters the gendarmes have been lobbing at the rioters.) Given the Islamic overtones of his “Sultan of Swat” honorific, a Babe Ruth-model bat might hold the most appeal for this target audience.

—Posted by Mark Dolliver