Play Ball! In the last week and a half, I was given the opportunity to attend both a Boston Red Sox's game and Chicago Cubs' game. It was my first time in Boston and the atmosphere at Fenway blew me away. (Partially because I heard my very first genuine "wicked") And as a lifelong Cubs fan, going back to Wrigley for the first time after my lovable losers became World Series Champs was pretty special. Both ballparks are the epitome of why baseball is such a great sport with some of the best fans in the world. Here are the top 10 reasons why baseball will ALWAYS be America's pastime.
1. The Field
You can't tell me you don't get chills when you first set your eyes on a baseball diamond. The white bases shimmer in the summer sun and the perfectly manicured grass stretches on seemingly forever. Put that beautiful diamond in a historic ballpark such as Wrigley or Fenway and it'll be love at first sight. Trust me.
2. The Food Vendors
Who doesn't like food and beer being delivered right to your seat? Hot dogs, peanuts, and beer, you can't get any more American than that! Also, I swear these people are superhuman with how they effortlessly carry their huge containers of food and drink up and down the stadium stairs.
3. The Die-Hards
Baseball fans are hardcore. It takes a special kind of person to follow a team for 162 games each season. Yet rain or shine, baseball fans are always there to boo the ump, yell for a pitching change, or put their rally caps on.
4. The Rivalries
Cubs vs Cardinals. Yankees vs Red Sox. Phillies vs Mets. The list goes on. Rivalries in any sport are fun, but three nine-inning games between two hateful teams of guys with bats is a whole new level of excitement.
5. The Seventh Inning Stretch
What sport do you get to take a break during the game to sing a song ABOUT the game? Baseball, that's what! "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" will have you singing from the top of your lungs no matter if your team is winning or losing. It's just that good.
6. The Uniforms
Baseball uniforms are awesome because not much has changed from the look of the 1920s. And plus, what girls doesn't LOVE a man in uniform? (I'm looking at you, Kris Bryant)
7. The Curses
To say baseball is a superstitious sport would be an understatement. As a Cubs fan, I can tell you that a curse from a billy goat can prevent your team from winning for a whopping 108 years. Just ask a Red Sox fan about the "Curse of the Bambino." The poor Cleveland Indians are still suffering under the "Curse of Rocky Colavito" 57 years later. Baseball is wonderfully weird.
8. The Patience
If baseball fans know one thing, it's that patience is a virtue. Whether that means sitting through nine innings of play or waiting more than a century to see your favorite team win, baseball fans are willing to wait.
9. The Greats of the Game
Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Willie Mays, oh my! Baseball has birthed some of the world's best athletes throughout the course of history. Being able to hit a 100 mph fastball with a skinny little stick is no easy feat, yet these men have made it seem so. They made America fall in love with the sport many years ago, and for that, we can't thank them enough.
10. The Home Runs
Because there's nothing quite like watching a ball soar over the outfield fence as your favorite player triumphantly rounds the bases. Knowing the course of the game can significantly change with one crack of the bat is a special feeling and is perhaps the greatest reason why baseball is America's favorite pastime.
