Get out your shorts and sandals; it is baseball season again. Summer has just started, and the skies are blue. I am waiting for Fenway Park to open and for me to see my favorite baseball team get on the mound again. Red Sox is going to dominate the series again, no doubt. Watching a game of baseball is like no other.
Baseball has been and will always be the greatest sport as far as I care. Sports like football, basketball, and soccer have fans, but baseball has FANS. No other game can bring such drama onto the field. Forget about other sports; you only need baseball in your life from now on.
But just saying that baseball is the best sport around isn’t enough you will need to see some proof. Therefore I have used my experience and other people’s experience, players and fans alike, to give you a better understanding.
All of those experiences and information have been divided into multiple parts for your easier reading. Each part will give a unique look into baseball as a sport and help you to change your stance on this amazing sport.
Now you might be asking what are my reasons for saying baseball is the best sport in the world. To answer this question I have searched through my memories and experiences of playing baseball. After much soul searching I have found a way to separate my reasons into three categories.
First comes the reasons which are seen through the eyes of baseball fans. Here are my reasons for why baseball is the best sport in the eyes of the fans:
- With baseball’s long and glorious history any fan will be awed
- Since the game is only played during summer all the fans will enjoy it
- Some fans are players as well and they appreciate all the training & effort spent on the game
Second are the reasons which come from the perspective of baseball players, both recreational and professional. Here are my reasons why baseball is the best sport from the eyes of the players:
- With no limit on the clock, players can really push themselves
- Players focus both on the mind and the body
Finally comes the reasons for how the game evolves right in front of our eyes in every game:
- The game unfolds in front of you in unexpected ways
- Something will always happen in-game that will shock you
Table of Contents
From Baseball Fans Eyes
Baseball Values History:
For any true baseball fan knowing about baseball is a must. To be honest knowing about baseball means not just player stats but how baseball came to be as well. Baseball fans also need to know some of the key players that made baseball what it is now. If you don’t have some basic baseball history knowledge here is a refresher for you.
Baseball has a long legacy and heritage compared to other sports, which values history. But being old means that it has traditions and history. Every team and baseball player has made it in the sports history book in one way or another. When Alexander Joy Cartwright introduced the game to the masses in 1845, he changed the world of sports. His introduction of baseball fields and strikeouts made the game indeed something.
With such a long legacy, baseball is a traditional sport. Every team and player has done something to be remembered. Either they broke a world record or stacked enough runs to join a club.
The game became more fast-paced and more enjoyable. Baseball now has many more moments in its history that go outside the baseball field. One of the best examples would be Jackie Robinson, six times all-star player, a world series champion, and an advocate of black rights.
On rare occasions, players like Robinson broke the color line and the stereotypes in the early years. The game of baseball has so much history related to civil rights movements and other such topics. Being able to break boundaries like this is the reason why baseball is the best sport and why we fans like to call it America’s favorite pastime.
Summer Months Game:
If you are a proper baseball fan you should be ready to go to the ballpark just as summer starts. As a baseball fan, it is your duty to be at the ballpark from your team’s first pitch to their last bat and show them your support. Since all the games happen during the summer vacation months you get to enjoy the games at your leisure.
With 162 games a season, it is the reason baseball never has a dull moment. Along with so many games, we fans are also able to enjoy clear weather and sunny days. With such nice weather, I was able to go to all the Sox games in just shorts and sandals. You may ask me Why Baseball is the leading Sport in 2021? That’s easy cause no other sport is so easy to watch.
Kids these days still say, “Take me to the ball game.” Most families in America take their kids to league baseball games from a very young age. To truly experience a game of baseball come to a ballpark like Wrigley Field or any of the other baseball fields.
Another part of enjoying baseball is the food we get to eat. America’s pastime is not only the game but the delicious food as well. My personal and longtime favorite is hot dogs and hot wings.
People fall in love with baseball because they know that it has no boundaries. Anyone and everyone can watch a game of baseball and enjoy some good food. You will be able to watch baseball and feel the excitement with every pitch and every hit.
Baseball is one of the sports that has reached all ethnic groups nowadays. In each game, people of all ages and races come together. Each run and each out brings people together and bonds them together. I still remember seeing the winning game of the Red Sox. And how I was jumping up and down in my room with all the people at the stadium.
Hardest Training Among All The Sports:
While baseball player training might not seem like a thing baseball fans should be looking at but it’s not true. You never know which lower-ranked baseball player might go to the MLB league during a season. Thus as a baseball fan, you should check out the training done by your favorite team and check the status of your chosen players. Also, many baseball fans are players themselves so they have to go through training as well.
Every team has athletes with a training story. I had the pleasure to see junior-level athletes train for Major League Baseball. These future halls of fame baseball players start their grind in their teens. The training I saw them go through was brutal and demanding.
While seeing some juniors going for the MLB level is a fond memory for me at the same time I remember my own journey. During my teen years, I had to through some grueling training both in terms of mind and body. In fact, several exercises that I went through involved the basics of baseball. For example, I had to do several sets of pitching, batting, in and outfielding, and other baseball drills. This was all before I was selected for the catcher’s position. While practicing for different positions I needed both youth batting gloves and proper baseball gloves which were a hassle.
Even though I thought that training was way too much for me yet they helped me get to where I reached. Even doing the most basic of training, helped me a lot. In the beginning, even a future MLB superstar will need to know the basics. Additionally, the basic training helped me learn that baseball is a true team sport.
Those who make it through the junior-level training and go to the AAA baseball game are easy to spot. They develop in a different way than all other sports athletes. Just look at Babe Ruth if you want an example of what proper baseball players are supposed to look like.
From A Baseball Player’s Eyes: Why Baseball Is The Leading Sport
A Game Without A Time Limit:
When you are a sports athlete you need to keep in mind the game time during every match. This is especially true for baseball players because there is no true game time limit. In a baseball game, the match will only end if one team has more scores than the opposing team. As a baseball player, you will need to use skills and strategies at the same time to make your team the winner.
When was the last time you see any sports match going for four or five hours? Soccer goes for 90 minutes, and a basketball game length is 48 minutes according to the rules. But baseball is very much different. Until a team gets 27 outs, there won’t be a winner.
Without a time clock in mind, a game is all about comebacks. Each team will use a potent offense or a solid defense to get closer to a comeback. The winning team of a baseball game is decided by their strength of will and strong determination.
Strategy can be used if there is no fear of the clock. Without a limit on time, baseball’s team sport feature is easy to use. All the players can give it their all to make a comeback as the winning team.
In hockey, a team that gets a goal early in the game receives the trophy usually. Similarly, in other sports like football and basketball, a goal early means being the winner. But us baseball fans know what is up in America’s pastime. Winning teams still have to play more to keep winning.
Needs A Rugged Body And Metal Fortitude:
To be a baseball player means to have a body and mind that lets you play baseball at peak condition. Since I am a baseball player, at least in a leisure league, I have to continuously practice and hone my body and mind. Without doing so a baseball player will never be able to reach his end goal, usually the MLB.
Being buff and strong isn’t all there in baseball. Players also need mental grit at the highest level. With an average runtime of 3-4 hours, players will need more than stamina on the baseball field. They will need mental fortitude to stay in the game.
Other sport like basketball also say that about mental strength same goes for football. But I don’t think they follow through. Saying mental discipline is one thing but doing something about it is another. That is why baseball is a cut above the rest.
Most if not all major league baseball clubs have now accepted mental importance. These clubs are hiring mental coaches to train their athletes. The training is helping them improve their overall skill level.
Better mental fortitude equals a better playstyle. Pitchers and fielders will be able to better their pitches and hand-eye coordination. Batters will have better pitch detection. Knowing about your opponent is what makes or breaks a baseball game. The baseball game is the one sport that does opponent research well.
From my side, I have seen baseball become more of a mind game, unlike football and basketball. As stated by sports legend, Muhammad Ali “… the will must be stronger than the skill.” It is so easy for you and me to see why baseball is an outstanding sport.
See Something Weird Or New In Every Baseball Game
The Drama Unfolds In And Out Of Baseball Field:
Baseball is one of the greatest sports that shows so much drama and story. In all of my years watching the sport, nothing comes close to it. Each match has a story, and so does the teams and player involved. And being a part of the moments is what we fans all look forward to.
The most significant baseball moment to me was the 2004 Boston Red Sox vs. St.Louis Cardinals game. Watching it in Fenway Park is something I and other MLB fans will never forget.
The emotions of the Sox fans and players were visible to all. We were all praying for the 100-year-old “Curse of the Bambino” to end. And it did when the 4-0 game ended with the Red Sox closer Foulke throwing the ball to first base for the last out of the 9th innings.
I was both crying and shouting at the same time. It wasn’t a pretty sight to look at, but I didn’t care. That match had a singular purpose: showing the world that they belonged there with past winning teams and legends. A dream since 1918 finally came true. Since then, the Sox won the 2007, 2013, and 2018 World series as well.
The Weird Side Of Baseball:
There is no other sport like baseball if you want to see the weird. Things go down in baseball matches that will leave you scratching your head. Some are deeds of the players, and others are pure coincidence. However, all are fun to watch either online or at the ballpark.
Like a typical baseball fan, I also like the weird stuff of past games. One of those was the 2001 Arizona Diamondback game.
Randy Johnson just pitched when a dove flew in its path. The 95mph ball hit the dove with all its power, and I don’t have to say the rest. That 7th inning will be a genuinely weird moment in the sport and Randy’s life.
Let’s see this amazing video Randy Johnson Kills Dove on the youtube channel, Harker Davies.
Moments like that are overflowing in baseball history. All you have to do is look for them.
Is Baseball Still Popular?
Some are saying baseball is losing popularity, and I say hogwash. In 2019 average viewership for the champion series was over 13.75 million for a channel. While the number is down from what it was like in 2014, with its game seven viewership of 20 plus million. I believe the number will grow once Covid-19 ends.
While we might not be thriving, we MLB fans and NL fans are still here. People will always love something that tries to make them happy and excited. And baseball has been called the best sport because it has done just that.
For a better understanding check out how well baseball has been doing through its viewership over the years. All information has been sourced from the baseball almanac.
Now here is a graph with the ratings of the baseball World Series over the last 19 years. As you will see the games are being watched regularly. All information has been sourced from the baseball almanac.
Some Other Great Reasons For Watching Baseball
No half-time show
This might seem ridiculous because fans of football in America love to watch it, and big bands usually perform at these shows.
The same isn’t true for baseball because you are usually at these games to watch the teams play and not to watch Lady Gaga or Eminem perform. Baseball is all about the game and nothing else.
Also, halftimes aren’t necessary because players are pitching and hitting continuously, so there is no need for a show to get you pumped up.
If you really need something to eat, there are vendors walking around the seats, so just get something from them.
Amazing uniforms
Uniforms in sports have always been something to look at, and I believe that baseball has some of the best uniforms in sports. Every MLB team has two uniforms: one for home games and one for away games.
Most of the current MLB uniforms have been the same for quite some time, so getting one and wearing it helps to show support for your favorite team or player quite well.
Also, baseball uniforms do something that is quite different from all other sports. They show off their players’ bodies rather well. From their chiseled chests to their thick calves, it’s all there to admire.
The stadiums
Baseball stadiums are known as ballparks rather than stadiums. These stadiums are the pride and joy of MLB teams since each of them has some great memories attached to them.
If you are a fan of a team and they win their home match at their ballpark, it’s a completely different experience. As a Red Sox fan, I make it my duty to watch every game they play at Fenway Park.
There is just something magical about these parks, and most of them have some unique attractions that make visiting them on non-game days interesting as well.
Frequently Asked Question(FAQs):
At What age can kids play Baseball?
There isn’t a required age or any standard to start this game. Anyone can play baseball since it’s fun, and rules are simple to follow for most backyard games. It is the only sport where anyone can simplify the rules for the enjoyment of players. Also, it is the only sport that is easy to set up and play at any time.
For a great baseball game, all needed from the players is to play baseball to their best.
Is there a legal age for players to steal bases?
Baseball is the best sport to be played at any age and is the same for when they can steal bases. However, at the very young age of ten is when kids truly enjoy the sport. Being able to jump bases is the most fun part of baseball other than hitting home. At ten, most kids can’t throw or hit the ball that hard, so all they can do is run to bases.
Kids who love baseball to steal bases are part of their bucket list. For anyone at any age, home runs and touchdowns or anything in sports, for example, soccer, basketball, or hockey, will be a part of their bucket list at one point
What kind of baseball gear does a beginner player needs?
Depending upon how old your kid is and at what league level he plays he might need different kinds of gear. One thing all players need is a good baseball bag either bags with wheels or bags without wheels. Also at the beginning, you should be getting gloves under 100 since you wouldn’t want to spend too much. Or if you are a beginner who is young get a baseball glove for 10 or year olds.
What kind of a baseball bat should I get for my kids?
For a baseball player using anything but the best wooden bat is sacrilegious. While playing some practice matches or doing batting drills you can use a composite bat but know how long they will last.
The Last Pitch
From opening day to the last pitch, baseball will have you hooked. One point to take away is that baseball is fun. It is not like most other sports. Going to Fenway Park and watching a game while eating hot dogs is America’s pastime. It should be yours and mine as well.
I played baseball as a very young kid, and my kids will also play it. Baseball has created a melting pot with those that played and watched it.
It is so easy to see the fan and player interactions. You can easily see the reason Why Baseball is the preferred Sport by watching the emotion in the faces of the fans. Both the players and the fans love to interact with each other. Let’s see this marvelous video from the youtube channel The Sporting Maniac.
I will end my pitch with these simple lines. Baseball is and will continue to be America’s pastime from now to forever. We fans, both new and old, will make sure of it. Oh, summer months don’t end too soon.
