What is barnstorming in baseball?

Barnstorming in baseball refers to the practice of traveling baseball teams traveling around the country or internationally to play against local and regional teams. Dates back to the early 1900s when Major League teams toured around the country, playing exhibition games against local and minor league teams in rural areas. In the 1920s and 1930s, barnstorming took on a new era when Negro League teams started to barnstorm to make extra money. This became the primary source of income for black ballplayers since they were not allowed to play in the Major Leagues. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and other stars were also known to barnstorm during the off-season, playing games for money in small towns and cities across the country. Despite the rise of television and air travel in the mid-20th century which made it easy for people to see Major League games live and in-person, barnstorming remained popular amongst African American teams as it offered a platform for these players to showcase their talent to a wider audience.