Baseball season is the best time of year. Opening Day is considered a holiday for these avid fans. A Major League Baseball season consists of 162 games per season. This competitive game brings cities to life and gathers thousands of people from all around each state to support their respecting team. These loyal fans travel from near and far to support their team and enjoy a day at the ballpark. The feeling that a fan experiences walking into a stadium is magical to me.

Personally, it makes me feel alive and gets my heart racing. I have fond memories of baseball stadiums since I have grown up playing and attending games my entire life. It certainly is a sport that is a great passion of mine.

I would consider myself a new citizen to Saint Louis since I have only lived in the state of Missouri for two years. As I went to attend my first Cardinals game, I can recall people swarming into the stadium just moments before the first pitch of the game. I remember this first game that I went to at Busch Stadium two years ago like the back of my hand. It was a typical Tuesday night game and the streets flooded with people. I was shocked at the amount of people moving towards the stadium and packing the stands for this ordinary game. It was not a post-season playoff or World Series game, but it sure seemed like it. I had never attended a baseball game like this before.

At this point in time, I knew I was officially in Cardinals Nation. We did not purchase tickets before the game so we went to the box office, but my jaw dropped as we were given complimentary tickets from a local fan. This was unintentional hospitality, but it meant a lot to us as we were brand new fans to the stadium. This generous exchange blew my mind. I held out my ticket to the stadium employee as they scanned it, in anticipation of the next few hours. If I remember correctly, my ticket had a postmark image of Yadier Molina on the face of the ticket, who is a well-known player in the organization.

We walked through the front entrance and started to make our way to the seats assigned on the ticket. I was fortunate enough to attend this game with my dad. He is my favorite person to watch a baseball game with due to his knowledge of the game and the light humor he provides as commentary during the nine innings. We walked through the stadium as the smell of caramel corn filled the air, vendors were yelling out the prices of game programs, the signs flashed of section numbers, and we started to navigate the route to get around the moving people. I was so content and grateful for the seats that we been gifted since it was close to the ground level of the players but far enough to have a view of the entire field.

I love looking at the stadium and watching the movement of people and roar of the crowd. The sea of Cardinal red filled the stadium in an overwhelming way. There is a specific characteristic that sets each ballpark apart from the rest. In this case, I became very fond of the Arch behind Busch Stadium. Each baseball stadium brings its own character and charm. I say this because I have visited many baseball stadiums in my time across the United States. I can vividly remember each stadium that I have visited and the unique traits and experiences that I have had there. My dream is to visit all thirty Major League Baseball stadium in my lifetime.

I am extremely fond of the game of baseball because of the experience it brings. It brings me joy to watch the game. Baseball welcomes fans and invites them to watch these highly paid and talented players. The thrill of watching a baseball game is so special to me. These teams play a consecutive 162 games with few days off throughout their season which is impressive to me. These professional athletes are at an elite level of performance and come to the ballpark every day to play the game that they are passionate about. These athletes really are the reason that the game is so special.

Understanding the game of baseball has allowed me to see the difficulty and beauty of the game through a different lens. Baseball has some unusual occurrences that happen between the lines which makes it refreshing and thrilling to watch. Baseball has the ability to extend the “norms” of the game and achieving unthinkable statistics and success. The rich history of baseball sparks my interest and passion for the game. The constant goal to make a playoff run in October and play for the World Series title is what makes baseball season so enjoyable to follow throughout the year.

Baseball is considered a lifestyle rather than a season for most dedicated fans. These devoted fans and professional athletes make the season of baseball a fascinating time of year. The ability to unite the city of Saint Louis among many other baseball cities is the one reason that I will always love the game of baseball.