Baseball season is the greatest season, tied with football season, of course (don’t @ me). With baseball season comes summer and with summer comes sun and fun. How could someone not love it? Any baseball fan knows that the beginning of this amazing season means a roller coaster of emotions. From going to games to listening to the broadcast on the radio or watching it on the TV, fans everywhere can’t wait to get their (almost) daily dose of their favorite teams. This feeling extends through the summer all the way into October when everyone hopes that they will be seeing their team compete for a World Series Title.
So before you turn the TV on to watch today’s game, let’s talk about what you are about to (or already) feel:
1. Happiness
Pure joy rushes through the veins of every die-hard baseball fan during this time of year. The hype of the season and what is to come is enough to make anyone want to dance. Our jerseys are cleaned, tickets are printed, and foam fingers are packed. We're ready to go to the ballpark.
2. Fangirling
The return of key players, especially if you’re coming back from a previously successful season, is enough to make even the manliest men emotional. Big name players are essential to the hype that surrounds a team and a team’s fanbase. Chances are you own the jersey of this player, just like everyone else in a 50-mile radius of the team’s home stadium.
3. Competitive
The competitive spirit is in us all. Sometimes, we find that our rivalries get a little carried away but all for the love of the game. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, the competitive drive that every fan feels is important to the dynamic of baseball. The roar after a big play motivates players to make another one. The disappointed quiet signals that the team has some work to put in. The uncontrollable cheers signify the support of the home crowd. The chirping toward the other team is our own way of trying to get that tiny mental advantage.
4. Sadness
Not all teams are winning teams. Whether it is losing a game to a league rival or having an overall losing season, a lack of success can bring every fan an overwhelming feeling of sadness and disappointment. But loyalty means something to all baseball fans. No matter how bad your team may be, no fan will walk away from their team.
5. Love
There is so much love in baseball. From falling in love with the game, a team, a park, or the players, baseball fans love harder than any other fans. Just go to a game and you can see it for yourself. Even the fans love each other. Other fans love you because you both share a mutual love for the same team. It’s really a beautiful love story, one of America’s favorite pastimes.
6. Reminiscent
A new season brings back bittersweet memories. Remembering the players lost causes every fan to miss how things use to be. Some find themselves wishing that the lineup was the way it used to be and that this team can be as successful as the last. Sometimes, the shoes of previous beloved players are too big to fill in the hearts of fans.
7. Anticipation
In this beginning period of the long baseball season, anticipation runs at a rapid speed. The first few games only give a small glimpse into how the season may go for your team. But, this early, anything really can happen. Right now, it’s a waiting game.
8. Excitement
No matter what, every fan is excited. Whether your team is top of the league or on a dry spell, baseball is still an exciting game where truly anything can happen. So, again, dance and celebrate. Grab your friends, buy some hot dogs, remember your glove, and get ready for another intense and exciting season of Major League Baseball.