Baseball is easily one of the greatest sports in America. Considered part of the big four leagues, it always catches the eyes and ears of sports fans everywhere. Millions of people, year-after-year flock to the hallowed temples of their team, in hopes that October magic will strike. But, baseball is much more than just a fan experience for most Americans; we don’t just yearn to just watch the game or consume the customary hot dogs, beer and cracker jacks - no, baseball for most is a way a life, a part of our soul.
Most of us can recall being indoctrinated into the game of baseball at a young age. That first experience of t-ball - what a glorious time of ignorance before we were all-consumed by the main attraction. We filled our highlight reels with running the bases the wrong way, losing focus in the field and the all to familiar strikeout on the T (c’mon we’ve all done it!).
But T-ball was the first stage of fuelling a love for the American pastime. Outside of these first experiences of playing, watching baseball was simple, especially since there was no real understanding of the game. It is at this young age we grew accustomed to the ballpark delicacies. The classic go-to is of course a hot dog and large soda, but there’s also garlic fries and local eats like Kidd Valley hamburgers. Even the beer, unable to drink at a young age, brings distinct smells and associations. The aromas in the air stick in one’s mind and continue to invoke memories of games in our childhood even as adults.
On to the coach pitch stage, the years of our true and greatest glories. Nothing beats going into the box knowing you’re about to crush every pitch- I mean come on, how could you not when old man dad is out there lobing in money balls. We eventually step up to a range as a 9,10, 11, or 12 year old, an age where glory actually seems real. Every summer watching the Little League World Series we dream of being all-stars and living out the fantasy of getting a chance to play on TV in Williamsport. At this stage baseball is now more competitive and the rudimentary strategy of the game takes place. It’s thrilling but also a struggle when you seem to always strike out every at-bat - but you persist and still show up to the plate, taking the ups with the downs. Aside from the small diamond glories, our favourite teams and players began to take shape. For Northwesterners, the Mariners became our obvious team of choice. Those of us considered millennials found ourselves attached to the likes of Jr., Johnson, EEEEDDDDGGGGAAAAARRRR, Cameron, Boone, Ichiro, Moyer, and so many more. We pleaded with our dads to get us to the games an hour before the start, much to our mothers chagrin, just to get a glimpse, let alone an autograph of our favourite players. Baseball was pure, exciting and enjoyable on so many levels - mainly because we were too young to understand the politics and the deeper intricacies of managing a team.
Now that middle school has started, baseball takes its final form. You’ve by now graduated to the same size diamond the big-leaguers play on, imagining where you could be in a few short years. This part of the game is enjoyable; the bats get bigger making it slightly easier to hit the ball and those pitchers that were untouchable in little league, well now they serve every pitch on a platter. However, this is also a stage when many take a step away from the game. The pressures to specialise in a sport, or feelings of being too inadequate to play baseball take their toll and many of us bow out. Yet by high school, when most of us have chosen other sports to play and activities to consume, baseball is always a staple of our lives. By now we are fully versed in sports debate and using our ‘expert’ opinions to claim we know how our team should trade or who starts where in the order. Our newfound awareness also leads us to pain. Franchise politics and dynamics are at the forefront of our lives, making us miserable when the team does not go after certain players in free agency or why they invest in others that seem detrimental to our success.
By now, our innocence in youth is lost, but there are upsides. For some, simply, an upside is the ability to consume overpriced beverages at the game. It is actually a shame that now so many go simply for the beer, ignorant of the action on the field. So many Instagram girls and frat boys who just want to be seen as socially active, to keep their fragile egos and self-esteem intact. Yet, for those of us that are true fans of the game, our age as allowed us to consume the details of baseball. Now we watch for the dance between the pitcher and hitter, knowing where the batter’s hot and cold zones are along with what pitches he struggles with, on top of knowing the repertoire of pitches that the pitcher can sling sixty feet. But that isn’t all. In modern baseball the fielders have to align properly, understanding the probabilities of where a batter will hit and adjusting to counter his strengths.
Overall, baseball is one of the most amazing sports. It provides so many fantastic moments, ones that every fan recalls through the ages. Baseball is part of us, not just as a nation, but in each and every individual. Even those who have never played, find an aspect they enjoy and fall passionately for the game. Baseball even is a symbol of the American dream, as players from Japan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic - even Cuba - and many more, work so hard for the game. Baseball has even been a ground for social progress, as greats like Jackie Robinson dared to push the boundaries of society. See, baseball is a passion, a dream, something that guides us and pushes us and ultimately inspires us. Baseball is the greatest pastime, one with an enduring legacy and a bright future for fan and player.
Written by: Charles Bauman
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