I once heard baseball described as "a panic attack divided into nine innings," and that's about as spot-on of a description as you can find. Sure, sports in general are stressful, but nothing rivals the nerves that come about a person with a full count, the bases loaded, and their team down by one run in the bottom of the ninth.
It's exhilarating and terrifying. There's no set play called, no clock ticking down, and no one to back up the man at the plate. It's simply a one-on-one battle: one man walks away victorious, one man hangs his head in despair. Now take this feeling, and multiply it by 10. This is what happens when a pennant is on the line.
After 162 games have been played, 10 teams get to continue on the hunt. As the month of October crawls on, that number is trimmed to eight. Then four. Then two. Then one. Legends are made, memories are created, and history is unveiled before all of our watching eyes. When the leaves begin to change, the entire dynamic of a baseball game does as well. Suddenly, players are not simply playing for their team; they're playing for an entire city.
Following the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013, the 25 men on the Red Sox roster were no longer playing for the Boston Red Sox Baseball Club; those men were playing for the city of Boston, Massachusetts. David Ortiz, longtime first baseman for the Red Sox, declared in front of a packed Fenway Park in the days following that horrible day that "This is our [city]. And nobody is going to dictate our freedom."
The Boston Red Sox went on the win the 2013 World Series and brought a city together closer than ever imaginable. I am a diehard Yankees fan, and even I was rooting for them. Baseball kept Boston strong.
Baseball is not "only a game," it is a religion, and fans pour into diamond-shaped cathedrals each October to experience the greatest celebration of the year. For one month, fans have undying faith that their team is going to pull something miraculous. For one month, fans have unshakable hope that their team will hoist the Commissioner's Trophy come November. For one month, fans get the opportunity to see their wildest dreams become a reality.
In the movie "Angels in the Outfield," character J.P. exemplifies this hope by saying three simple words while talking about the pennant:- "it could happen.". Over 40,000 fans sitting in Kauffman Stadium for Game One of the 2014 World Series a mere 12 months ago had the same hope as J.P.. That's what makes the sport of baseball special; adults still watch the game as if they're 12 years old. It's a children's game that some people simply never grow out of.
This October, don't simply be a spectator of the greatest postseason in sports: completely indulge yourself in it. Experience all the magic that playoff baseball has to offer. If your favorite team doesn't make the cut, pick a bandwagon and hop on.
However, if you are lucky enough to have your personal favorite team earn the right to play extra baseball, soak it in and believe with everything you have. Who knows? It could happen.
