Why do we like baseball?

[brewers96]

I was just thinking about this. Don't be mad at me, I like baseball! But why do we like to watch grown-men play a child's game?

[joshfan]

I was just thinking about this. Don't be mad at me, I like baseball! But why do we like to watch grown-men play a child's game?

I guess folks my age (48) just remember those wonderful players we got to see.
Teams in the 60's and 70's were loaded with remarkable players.
Fergie vs Juan was not an event it was a ballgame.
I did nothing but play baseball or some version thereof from 8 to 30 whenever ,or sometimes when it didn't, the weather allowed
It just is , to me , a chess game played out with ballplayers

[ipitch]

But why do we like to watch grown-men play a child's game?

I think of it as a grown-men game, that children try to play.

[DodgerBlue8188]

For it it has a lot to do with history. This game goes back forever it seems. The great stadiums, history, towns etc.

Also how WW2 played so a big part in players leaving is something I admire. I love how it brought races together. I don't know how to explain everything but it's just something about it.

I think it brings families closer together too.

[rockin500]

I was just thinking about this. Don't be mad at me, I like baseball! But why do we like to watch grown-men play a child's game?
was it ever a children's game? Is basketball a children's game? after all, many suburban kids have/had hoops in their driveway growing up, and in any inner city, you can find a bunch of teenagers ballin it up.

same thing with football, you have a bunch of kids playing at recess who play some form of football. No one really asks questions like that for those sports

[deadball-era-rules]

I think I might be able to provide a unique perspective on this one, as I am the only member of a very large family to classify myself as any kind of sports fan, so I don't have that family bond to go off of, yet I am a rabid fan of the game. I also don't have any fond memories of years ago yet, since I'm only 22 years old. I think it's absolutely legitimate to ask why we watch this game, because it gives us a good indication of what is best for the game. Personally, I think that baseball is becoming more dull over time, even over the relatively short time that I've been following the game (I know that my twelve years as a fan pale in comparison to some on this forum). As much as I enjoy baseball, I've lost a lot of interest in watching games due to scandals, greed and home runs. Personally, I can't stand watching games where nearly every run is scored through home runs. There is no drama because they are over as soon as they start. The triple is the best hit in the game, and the stolen base can change momentum instantly. I agree with the earlier comment that baseball should be much like a human chess match, but that's not the case at all in today's game.

I will say that there are glimmers of hope for the game yet. Jason Werth's recent delayed steal of home comes to mind. THAT is baseball to me. It would be nice if that kind of heads-up play were a regular part of the game.

[mwiggins]

I think I might be able to provide a unique perspective on this one, as I am the only member of a very large family to classify myself as any kind of sports fan, so I don't have that family bond to go off of, yet I am a rabid fan of the game. I also don't have any fond memories of years ago yet, since I'm only 22 years old. I think it's absolutely legitimate to ask why we watch this game, because it gives us a good indication of what is best for the game. Personally, I think that baseball is becoming more dull over time, even over the relatively short time that I've been following the game (I know that my twelve years as a fan pale in comparison to some on this forum). As much as I enjoy baseball, I've lost a lot of interest in watching games due to scandals, greed and home runs. Personally, I can't stand watching games where nearly every run is scored through home runs. There is no drama because they are over as soon as they start. The triple is the best hit in the game, and the stolen base can change momentum instantly. I agree with the earlier comment that baseball should be much like a human chess match, but that's not the case at all in today's game.

I will say that there are glimmers of hope for the game yet. Jason Werth's recent delayed steal of home comes to mind. THAT is baseball to me. It would be nice if that kind of heads-up play were a regular part of the game.

I agree with most of your comments, but how do you really know that you prefer that kind of game? If you've been a fan for 12 years, you've never seen baseball where there's more SB's than HR's. And you've rarely seen baseball where teams average less than 1 HR per game.

It's suprising that you even became a fan, since the game has been dominated by the long ball, even more than it was back in the 50's, as long as you've been a fan.

[gman5431]

deadball - i agree. Wish they would move the fences back in every park to start with. Home runs to me, arent the exciting, especially when they are 320 foot pop outs (see Yankee Stadium). I like to see bunting, hitting and running, speed in the OF, stealing, taking the extra base, sliding to break up a DP, that sort of thing. A home run is cool if it is a shot off the upper deck but there are too many cheapies these days. And you are right about all the scandals and the money these folks make. Its hard to relate to today's athlete. Back in the day they were one of us, now not so much.

G Man

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Baseball is what you make it to be. I've been watching baseball since 1976 so I have seen quite a bit of change in the game. Plus I'm a avid reader of baseball history. Some of those changes are good, others not so much. But I still appreciate and enjoy the modern game. I still appreciate it because I accept the game as-is and not get overly sentimental about how much the game was supposedly better "in the good old days". And I'm a very nostalgic fan (love the 1976-1986 era). I try very hard to not allow my nostalgia get in the way of me enjoying the game today. I'm a fair-and-balanced kind of baseball fan. I can enjoy a 10-9 slugfest. And I can enjoy a 1-0 game where both teams get three hits combined. I can enjoy Tim Lincecum strike out 16 guys. And I can enjoy Greg Maddux induce 19 ground ball outs. And so on...

[SHOELESSJOE3]

For it it has a lot to do with history. This game goes back forever it seems. The great stadiums, history, towns etc.

Also how WW2 played so a big part in players leaving is something I admire. I love how it brought races together. I don't know how to explain everything but it's just something about it.

I think it brings families closer together too.

Other than the game being played itself, the part I love the most, the history, especially those old parks.
No other team sport has the history that baseball does. The only team sport where numbers mean so much and a good number of them are so remembered.

Also, when it comes down to the close of the game. The pitcher sooner or later has to make the pitch. Hockey, basketball, football some great sports, but what a way for some great games to end. Pass the puck or the basketball around, kill the clock. Football another game I love but at times what a pathetic way to end the contest, the quarterback going down on his knee, the game is over.
Hugh difference, baseball the only team sport of those mentioned above with no clock. Time stands still, as long as there is even one strike left, there is a chance.

[deadball-era-rules]

I don't think it would be fair to imply that I'm an unbalanced fan because I'm not a huge fan of the home run. I like the dingers in moderation and when they occur in game-changing situations, but the rate at which they are hit and the frequency with which players shoot for the fences is boring. It creates too many strikeouts in my opinion. I'm all about seeing things happen, and when players are sriking out all the time, there is no action. I don't consider it overly nostalgic to want to see action on the field, and I think that's how many fans like me are mistankenly labelled. I became a fan through reading about the exploits of Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige. I love just about every period in baseball history, but I gravitate toward the deadball era (as the name implies) the 1950s and 1960s. I love the way that integration brought such a great balance of power hitting and exceptional baserunning during those latter eras. Wish I coulda been there. My least favorite period is the Bud Selig era, which is, unfortunately, all I've ever known. I'm looking forward to baseball without him in charge. I'm hopeful for change in the future.

[Rich the Giants fan]

Because it's baseball, my passion and obsession and the greatest game in the world.

And because I long for the past and want to dip my toes in the magic waters.


"Ray, people will come Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around, you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come." - Terence Mann - Field of Dreams - 1989

[bryanac625]

I love the game. It's such a part of American history, which I also love. It is in so many ways, very different from other games. I don't play chess but it seems so much like a chess game, when moves are made on the field to check your opponent. The funny thing- I have a friend who plays in chess tournaments who really isn't a baseball fan, but he's very cerebral and highly intellectual and I keep thinking, "man, you should be a baseball fan!"

[DodgerBlue8188]

Other than the game being played itself, the part I love the most, the history, especially those old parks.
No other team sport has the history that baseball does. The only team sport where numbers mean so much and a good number of them are so remembered.

Also, when it comes down to the close of the game. The pitcher sooner or later has to make the pitch. Hockey, basketball, football some great sports, but what a way for some great games to end. Pass the puck or the basketball around, kill the clock. Football another game I love but at times what a pathetic way to end the contest, the quarterback going down on his knee, the game is over.
Hugh difference, baseball the only team sport of those mentioned above with no clock. Time stands still, as long as there is even one strike left, there is a chance.

Your right. No matter how behind your team is there is always hope.

[04golf]

You cant kill the clock in baseball, you always have that last out. I get so tired of watching basketball & football because they munipulate the play clock w/ fouls/ timeouts. Anything can happen in baseball as long as you have an out left. Baseball is a mental game, you dont need to be a tall guy to play (im short so I like this). You just need to be able to hit a ball and field you position. Of course now all guys are pretty big but you dont need to be to play baseball. I like all the situations and possiblities of how a game could go (runner on second..either get a single to score, bunt him over, steal then a sac fly)..just so many possiblities in the game. I enjoy the statistics too.

I would like to see the fences pushed back. Players are getting strong, the bats are different today and sometimes the homerun is boring. Atleast a triple or double a players has to earn their base. A homerun you just watch it and jog around the base paths. I dont like the soap opera that surrounds baseball or sports in general today. Sports is the greatest reality show. The greed annoys me, contract talks, free agency, and players salarys are a big turn off. I try to enjoy the game for what its is baseball and just not get indulged in all the off the field drama. When the game is over thats where it ends with me.

[Rockhound]

I was just thinking about this. Don't be mad at me, I like baseball! But why do we like to watch grown-men play a child's game?

I watch baseball for a few reasons:

-Each game is unique. There is not two games that are identical in terms of play. There's always that possibility that something great will happen withing the 9 inning.

-It provides me with a challenge. As an amateur scorekeeper I thrive on the opportunity to document everything that happens on the diamond. It's fun, relaxing, and I can recreate that game in the future.

-Baseball Cards. These men, some of which are younger than me, are looked on as role models, legends, and icons. A picture on a piece of cardboard is the greatest thing since sliced breat. In a way, it's like as if I own these men and the card is a reminder of their contributions.

-Ballpark atmosphere. There are so many things that go on in the ballpark that can make it a great experience...The smell of the food, cheering for your team, getting autographs, seeing a father and son absorb the pasttime, keeping score, wearing the team's colors, etc.

[Bennybosox]

I love this game for more reasons than I can list, but here's a few:
Fenway park, Keeping score, crack of the bat, smell of the grass, Kevin Youkilis, pop of the glove, day games at Wrigley, the hit & run, September call-ups, Fall Classics, Ryan Braun, the suicide squeeze, the outfield assist, Tawels Hill, peskey's pole, the humidor, Josh Hamilton, Paps & Papi, walk off homers, complete game shutouts, 12 to 6 curves, pine tar, rosin bags, third base coaches, Terry Francona, the Mid-summer classic, Spring training, Hanley ramirez, set-up men, 60ft-6inches, scoring from first, the DH, 1's a fastball; 2's a curve, Zack grenkie, leather & lumber, the Silver Slugger, The Phillie phanatic, Don Zimmer, Midges, seagulls, Black cats & Billy goats, the warning track, rick ainkel, sausage races, the 7th inng stretch, "play ball", The Capitan (Varitek), Topps, the Dog Days, the Wild Card, the other captain (Jeter), sittin' dead red, pitcher's parks, hitters counts, Curses, Reversing Curses, chin music, the cutter, the circle change, Lou Pinella, McCovey Cove, the catwalks, Joe Mauer, Upper Deck, Louisville Slugger, bleacher seats, Opening Day, twin bills, purpose pitches, Peter Gammons, Matt Wieters, Cooperstown, all-Star voting, pitch outs, double steals, double plays, doubles down the line, dugouts, called strikes, plays at the plate, pop-up slides, 5-tool prospects, the slide step, Josh Johnson, the WBC, the futures game, bobblehead day, the Cape Cod league, Tommy Hanson, the utility player, natural grass, small market teams, following draft picks thru the farm system, international player development, 162 regular season games, a best of 7 World Series...

[d32123]

I am a fan of many sports. The first sport I got into was baseball. However, recently I got into soccer and it started challenging baseball as my #1. Despite this, baseball to me is more than just a sport. It is something enjoyable, unpredictable, and very entertaining and can make you think too. Baseball is, in my opinion, the most intellectual of all mainstream sports. It is a game of statistics and different people value different statistics.

[deadball-era-rules]

First person to properly identify this player will receive a free pack of baseball cards.

Hint: He played with the NY Highlanders from 1903 - 1909.

It's Willie Keeler! I love Wee Willie. He did play for the Highlanders for quite a few years, but my favorite part of his career is his years with the Orioles of the 1890's (with John McGraw at third base and Willie in rightfield). The Orioles old park had a sloping rightfield, and Keeler would always remind the maintenance guys to let the grass grow really tall so he could hide extra baseballs in the grass. When he couldn't quite reach a ball, he could dive and scoop up one of those hidden balls (I always wonder how he avoided tripping over one while running around out there). He was the master of tipping off pitches, and used that to his advantage to work pitch counts and wait for a fat pitch. He is credited with coining the phrase "Hit 'em where they aint!"

One of the greats of his era in my opinion (even if his stats are a bit inflated from the era he played in).

[redlegsfan21]

I watch baseball because it is something I can count on. I know that between April and September, it's always there. The game is the same as when my grandparents were kids and going to Crosley Field as when I go to a game to Great American Ball Park. I love the fact that I can go to a game and have thousands of people wanting the same thing as me, for that final strike, for that walk-off win, for the third baseman the accurately throw the ball to first. I know this pretty much describes every sport but what separates baseball from the rest is my family connections. I've taken a liking to a lot of sports but baseball comes first because it was there first.

[Big_Mac]

I am a fan of many sports. The first sport I got into was baseball. However, recently I got into soccer and it started challenging baseball as my #1. Despite this, baseball to me is more than just a sport. It is something enjoyable, unpredictable, and very entertaining and can make you think too. Baseball is, in my opinion, the most intellectual of all mainstream sports. It is a game of statistics and different people value different statistics.

I totally agree with this perspective, except instead of soccer, for me it's football. The people who don't like baseball just don't get it. It's not just batter hits ball. There isn't too much action but if you know the game, you are always thinking when you watch. Runner on first, whats the manager going to do? What pitch is the pitcher going to throw in this situation? It's a game of millions of questions. It always makes you think, that's what makes it such a great game, among other things.

[Tadasimha]

Personally, I've come back to baseball in recent years after several years of not paying much attention to the game: The playoff series between the Rockies and Diamondbacks in 07 and the playoffs and series in 08 along with the passion I saw displayed on the field during the WBC served to reignite my interest and enjoyment of the game. That said:

I like the history of the game. It's evolution and development as an American sport through the 19th and now 20th centuries, and it continues to be popular (and, if the attendance at our local minor league park is any indication, regaining some popularity), with fans at every social level, within every ethnic group and across gender lines as well.

I love the symbolism of the game: you have moments of pure individual effort (the pitcher, the hitter, the baserunner) and then you have moments of teamwork (double plays, sacrifices). America celebrates not only the individual in it's ideology (Andrew Carnegie or John Wayne) but also the organizations such as unions or even the scouts. The game is also both urban AND pastoral at the same time, like the country itself.

The pace of the game is unique. There is a constant tension to each and every action that occurs - every pitch is important, every swing of the bat has an effect - even a foul ball. I defy anyone to find a moment more intense than a 3-2 count, 2 outs, bottom of the 9th, man on 2nd, tie game and the batter and pitcher dueling. Nothing can compare to this in any sport, nothing.

Finally, no game has such a unique experience for the fan. The atmosphere of the park with it's own traditions and histories, the way fans catcall and cheer and "help" the umpire. Plus, the chance for a real piece of the game with the balls that go into the stands - the fans are truly part of the game.

'scuse me while I put this soapbox away

[RuthMayBond]

Hopefully most of these are still true from when I first wrote it well over a year ago

A non-rectangular field, where the defense holds the ball, which is used to prevent scoring
We play pretty much EVERY day
Batting practice
Historical record is unmatched
Statistical record is unmatched
Better books (Glory of Their Times), movies and songs (Centerfield)
In the twenty-five years before 1987, only Vince Coleman has been cut from the NFL and then become a success in the MLB. From Tom Brown to Jay Schroeder and beyond, baseball flops have become NFL & NBA standouts. Michael Jordan Dave DeBusschere Greasy Neale Ernie Nevers Ace Parker Jim Thorpe Paddy Driscoll Ken Stabler Charlie Berry Red Badgro John Elway Danny Ainge
Our managers dress the same as the team
Our All-Star Game counts for something (for now)
Numbers - 56. 511. 714.
Minor leagues
Billy Wagner is five foot nine and throws a hundred miles per hour
Wrigley Field and Fenway Park
“Who’s On First?”
Much better nicknames (Death to Flying Things, Freshest Man on Earth)
Doubleheaders (when they happen)
Getting to throw the ceremonial first pitch
We have an official sing-along song
Better legends (Cool Papa Bell could turn off the lights & get in bed before it was dark, ran into own batted ball @ 2B)
Yogi Berra, Casey Stengel, Dan Quisenberry, and Bill Lee
At least sixteen chances to hit the restroom, making for shorter lines
Being able to keep track of every play
Cal Ripken Jr. played HOW MANY straight games?
Can of corn, tater, dinger, hurler, flash some leather, backstop, little bleeder

BETTER THAN MOST SPORTS:
No game clock, can’t run out the game clock
Players aren’t spoiled in college
Every field has its nuances
No need for cheerleaders
Better tantrums by managers
Weekday afternoon games
We don’t put practically every team in the playoffs
Our union actually watches out for its players
More reasonable ticket prices for pre-season AND regular season / no PSLs
Pennant races
Fans get to keep foul balls, no nets up for extra points.
What fans go around wearing helmets?
More strategy

[sturg1dj]

it is laid back. Sure some fans are crazy, but most know better. Its hard to get new fans who were raised on football and basketball because they feel they need to watch every second...while baseball is a perfect game that you can have on in the living room while cleaning and if you are at a game you can have a conversation with the person next to you...unless they are keeping score...hehe.



and when played right it is beautiful.

[DiggerODell]

When I was 7, every adult, including teachers used to tell me to "set my goals sky high" . . . "aim for the stars, they'd preach". We'll . . . Baseball only required you to succeed 30% of the time to be successful and a smidge over that you might be a superstar. Didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which sport was gonna be my favorite.

In all seriousness though, I used to "study" the sports page every morning when I was 6 or 7 . . . I loved numbers! Baseball is a number game. Then I got my first glove and learned how to play (and it was all downhill from there . . .):clapping