As a twenty-two year old black woman, I am often on the receiving end of some confused looks of disbelief when I tell people that I love baseball. Middle aged white men question my knowledge on the sport (as if anyone isn’t annoyed with spontaneous trivia quizzes) and younger people call me a “grandpa”. To many people, there seems as if there is no valid reason for me to even like baseball. But, I do, and I think more people like me would if they took the time to understand the sport. Baseball is more than just a game for old white men only good for day drinking and a reason to eat hot dogs without self judgment.
I think most people agree that baseball is too long, and there isn’t enough action. In my opinion (that is what you’re here for after all), I don’t think they are actually watching the game. First, I think we need to break down how we view sports in America in the first place. Why do you think America is one of the only places in the world so disconnected from soccer? We see soccer fans crying over a game that resulted in a score of 0-0 and are completely puzzled by it. But soccer has the same sensibility that baseball does. It’s about more than the numbers on the board, it’s about the way we get there.
And sure, there’s a story in every American football game or basketball game, but that isn’t what people are truly there for. They’re there to watch athletic men score as many points with the same jersey on their backs as the people cheering in the stands. And there’s no fault to be found here, that’s just the way these games are designed. However, I think that’s also where the appeal in baseball is apparent. Every inning feels like an act in a play. The first inning, everyone takes their position. The team has nothing but their confidence and the desire to win. Nothing holding them back, yet. Then, the game continues. Within the same inning, a team that started off strong can be rocked to the core.
Baseball is like the Opera. We watch our team fail, prevail, succeed, celebrate and anguish all in the span of three or so hours. You can feel the pressure and anxiety as the starting pitcher begins to lose it. Their hands tremble as they manipulate the ball in their hand, praying for a strikeout. We stare right into the intensity of the batter’s eyes as he scans the field, creating a course of action. The anticipation itches at us as the runners on base fidget, watching for the moment of attack where they can take that base and hopefully, hopefully, get their team to victory. Like reading a book in the first person narrative, it’s intimate and raw. It’s hard to find that in many major sports.
Despite the true beauty of the game of baseball, it’s also complicated. There are a lot of rules and a vast margin for specificity. But shouldn’t that make the game more intriguing? As someone who grew up in a home where neither of parents watched any sports, I was able to understand the rules of baseball purely from watching it closely and having friends that can explain as things happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m far from a savant. There’s so much about the game that I have yet to understand, if I ever even will, but I understand it enough to be able to enjoy it. And I would argue that football has many more confusing rules than baseball does. I can’t understand a football game no matter how hard I try. But, I think if you take the time out to try and understand the basics of baseball, I promise you it will be so rewarding.
