Why I Love Baseball is a nine week series that
The United States was 70 years old when our nation's pastime was first played in Hoboken, New Jersey. In its first years of existence was a game that was mainly played in cities by tradesmen. In fact it was the war that separated our great nation that helped spread the game that unites it. The Civil War spread the game to all walks of life. From there, baseball ventured all over the country and grew up with us. It's our game.
Baseball is truly an American sport. It was created from the British games of cricket and rounders and we formed it into our own sport. Isn't that what America is though? A mixture of different ideas and concepts that come together to create something unique and powerful?
This game is powerful. As I've mentioned previously in this series, baseball gives us hope. It mimics our society and at times is slightly more progressive than the culture it mirrors.
It seems to be a rite of passage in our American society for a father to take his son to his first ever baseball game, and there's an odd phenomenon that draws Americans to the ballpark every year, regardless of their understanding of the game.
Time passes and new types of entertainment become available, but baseball still is our national pastime. Even in a recession when people are struggling to get by, Minor League Baseball is more popular than ever.
Major League Baseball is divided into two leagues, the American and the National. Both leagues have eagles as mascots and the symbols for each bear our nation's colors. When something is really representative of this country it's "as American as baseball and apple pie." It's easy to see how the two are intertwined, but every once in a while a reminder is nice.
Just as America has shared itself with the global community, we've also shared our national pastime with the world. It will always be our game, but we've never had a problem giving to others.
Regardless if baseball is your favorite sport or something you're not interested in, it's safe to say the majority of Americans enjoy spending their summer nights at the ballpark. Yet, there will always be people that disagree and would prefer to stay away from the park. That's fine though, because that's part of what makes America grand, is our differences of opinion and our freedom to voice it.
So in closing, Happy Birthday America. Baseball has been here for 163 of them, and I'm sure it will be here with you for many, many more.
Also pitchers, this is the Fourth of July, let's celebrate it in a manner that's fitting to this great land. So no 10+ K performances tonight because as the great Crash Davis once said, "Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic."
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7 comments:
thanks for this series. i've so enjoyed reading it.
and yep, baseball is right up there with lee greenwood as being all-american!
i'm spending my 4th today at the ball park. after a nice cook out, i'm taking my mom and we are going to see pedro and the curve battle against the bowie baysox. one thing i find funny is that about 75% of the altoona curve sqad is non-american. how funny that this very international american baseball minor league team is celebrating our nation's birth w/ a rousing game of baseball and post game fireworks when many of the players are from the d.r. or venezuela - i.e. jose tabata!
happy birthday usa - i'm proud to be an americian!
francie
Well if you want some more American-born players we'll send a few down to you from Indy for Tabata. Haha.
well, i'd rather you send us jeremy powell to the burgh. got to see him pitch when my friend and i traveled to columbus from the burgh to see indy play. i like his stuff. . .and he's fine to look at too! in case ya haven't figured it, i'm a girl. so baseball is not only about the sport but the look of the game too!
from what i hear, ya may get little jose some time this month. since the bucs sort of raked the indy squad they may want to send some folks your way.
Nate and I are prepping for when Jose gets here. I hope he gets here soon. Thanks for your support of our blog.
So I have to ask since every female I know that watches sports engages in this conversation: Football pants or Baseball pants?
oh by all means baseball pants esp. when you're sitting on 3rd base line or baseball anywhere! my friend and i are also a very big fan of tall socks - notice ross wears them and paul did on thursday! to me tall shocks really pay homage to baseball's early days - and it makes them look like ball player dangit, unlike the pj look that prince fielder sports over there on 1st.
football pants are way too misleading w/ all the pads and such. but in baseball, you really get a feel for the real deal so to speak! now we know that infielders generally wear protection but even then, you're still left w/ a good eye for imagination!
glad i can support a fellow bucs fan. my friend and i started a blog that is more conversational style w/ some facts and stats thrown in there from a girl's point of view. if you're interested, it's my screen name here.
as far as tabata, well...i've seen him in spring training (seriously one wk right before the whole wife/baby thing) and i've seen him in about 6 or so curve games. he looks okay at the plate but when he's in right, i've noticed he doesn't track the ball well and leaves many to go over his head. now that may not be a problem at pnc since our field's right side is much shorter than blair county ball park but still a problem i see w/ him. i'm from beaver falls and am a season ticket holder w/ my friend on 3rd base side. but i am originally from near altoona, so when i'm home i love to venture to see the curve. i wanted to get down to state college yesterday (which is only about 45 minutes from my parent's house) but it rained most of the day. and after sitting in thurday's 5 hr rain fest, wasn't interested in taking the chance. but my friend and i did get to see the spikes when they were in niles, oh to play the scrappers (that too is about 45 minutes from my job). got to see tony sanchez but he wasn't in the line up that night. we're heading to wv. on the 25th to take in power game and see tony play then. okay, guess i've rambled enough.
It's fine, we don't get comments much, but as of late we've notice more and more people coming out of the woodwork to give their $.02
I meanwhile am not a Pirates fan, I'm a Rays fan. Nate is the Pirates fan, although I would say that I am a very strong admirer of the Bucs a.k.a. about as close as you can be to a fan without gaining that title.
Although, my future wife and I are discussing a possible move to Pittsburgh in a few years. If that happens then I will go back to having a team in both league. Who knows though, I may finally refer to myself as a Pirates fan, but my childhood is laced with memories of going to Rays games, so it's hard to cheer for anyone else.
I am now heading over to your blog to check it out. Thanks for the support and comments.
Also I agree with the premise of your baseball pants argument.
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