Should Baseball Be Considered America's Pastime?

Baseball in America is about as common as alcohol in college , it is everywhere

Did you know Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his hat to keep him cool? Did you know the odds of a fan getting hit by a baseball are 300,000 to 1? And did u know the shortest baseball player that ever played was recorded to be 3 feet and 7 inches? These are interesting facts I stumbled upon research, but I bet most of you did not know. There are many interesting facts that people like you and I don’t know about baseball throughout its history. Have you ever asked yourself where did baseball come from, who created it, or even ask what baseball went through in the past to receive its highly respected title? We watch baseball games for the sake of enjoyment like every other sport but most people, like myself, don’t know how it all began.

The argument over which sport is originally Americas national past time is as enduring and intense as American sports themselves. Each and every week millions of people tune in to watch their favorite sports being played. Over the years baseball has traditionally been known as the national pastime among all sports, but the rich tradition and history behind baseball is still around and noticed, with that being said, baseball is still referred to as America’s national pastime. This can be attributed to many factors including a superior television product, more controlled violence, and legalized gambling with fantasy football and baseball.

Like the bald eagle, baseball has become an icon for the term “American”. It was the nation’s first major sport and quickly was coined America’s pastime. It was created from a combination of other games during the 1840’s and became increasingly popular during the years of the Civil War (Brinkley 392). In their

Since Cartwright and the Knickerbockers, the game has seen an explosion in popularity. The first boom in popularity occurred during the civil war. Terry Bluett is author of the article “Baseball and the Civil War” where he explains prior to the civil war, baseball was a game that was only played in the New York area. Those who played the game and went off to war began to teach their fellow soldiers how to play. Soldiers of all ranks participated in playing baseball in their camps and was even promoted by generals because it

The first record of baseball in the United States began in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1791. Its popularity spread quickly through the town and the

Twenty-five million dollars made per year. Over one hundred fifty-four thousand dollars made per game. Over forty-seven thousand dollars earned per at bat. Sounds a little ridiculous, does it not? That is what current Texas Ranger shortstop Alex Rodriguez earns to play the game of baseball (azcentral.com). Baseball is a game that children have been playing in schoolyards and fields for the past one hundred years. It may not be a game anymore. On the Major League level it has become a business. This is where the problem starts.

Baseball, a game played between two teams of nine on a field with a diamond-shaped series of four bases. A prestige and unique game that is played all over the world but most beloved in the United States, hence, why people refer to it as the national pastime due to its tradition and popularity. Baseball consists of many complex rules and an extended history. In order for one to fall in love with the game such as America has, one must understand the rules and history of baseball.

The game of baseball became an organized sport in 1840 and 1850. Baseball is becoming more popular in America. For example, by 1860 the sport took the crown of America favorite sport over England cricket.

Baseball like all other sporting events is entertainment. No professional sports organization could succeed without the

Since its grand entry in the 19th century, baseball has evolved to be one of the most popular sport nationally and to be known as America’s national pastime. This multibillion dollar industry attracts millions of fans worldwide throughout different regions. The origin of baseball is believed to have evolved from a ball-and-bat game called Seker-Hemant played by ancient Egyptians dating as far back as 2,500 BCE. Fast-forwarding time, modern day baseball began with the formation of the Cincinnati Red Socks in 1869 following with the establishment of the National League in 1876 and later the American Association in 1901. It wasn’t until 1903 the Major League Baseball (MLB) was born. Baseball was seen as a recreational activity that differentiated between cities due to different versions and rules of the game, baseball did not strike its popularity until the Civil war, documentation shows high interest in this particular sport during this time period.

“People think that baseball is a boring sport to watch” (Miller). The games are very long, lasting an average of three hours. The game can also go into extra innings which can add more than an hour. The longest game lasted 8 hours and 25 minutes and went 33 innings in 1984. The score was only 4-3 (MLB.com). Baseball can be boring at some times, there will always be lulls in between pitches and innings. Baseball also have expensive tickets. The MLB average is $31 per ticket. An average family of four would have to pay more than $120 just to watch the game. The Boston Red Sox average price is more than $50 (Statista.com). Many people cannot afford to go to a game. Another thing that makes it less interesting is that the scores are low. Many MLB games I have watched usually don’t having scores that exceed 5 runs. When a team scores more runs and gets more hits, the game is more exciting and intense. When teams are only getting four or five hits the entire game and scoring 2 runs, it can slow the game down and make it more boring. As Sam Miller said in his article, “What are they even trying to do in baseball, you know? What’s the metaphor?” In football, it’s like war, tackle each other before they get to the end zone. Baseball, on the other hand, is more like cops and robbers, you have to strategize and do things that aren’t conventional in other sports. Baseball is a slow-moving game and has

To me baseball is defined as a love-hate relationship. Sometimes I want to love it and other times I want to erase the very existence of it. I love it because it brings out the competitive and work ethic nature out of me. I hate it because it can fiddle with my emotions and cause me to mentally breakdown. Letting hatred get the best of me during my sophomore year, I told my parents that I wanted to quit the only relationship that I had.

Baseball use to be one of the best games to play and watch as Americans. Being one of the first professional sports, it represented who we are as a country. Through baseball, it showed the honor and respect athletes and fans have for this country. However, this sport seems to be gradually disappearing to something athletes got paid to do; though, throughout baseball's long life, there are many athletes who still care about the game. All the way from the early 1900s, with Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig, to the more present times, with Jose Fernandez, David Ortiz, or Derek Jeter, they bring back the deceased game and put meaning into it, making it the most enjoyable it has ever been.

Many people believe that basketball or football are the best sports in the world. Basketball is popular as it’s played/watched by millions of people in most countries around the world. Football, on the other hand, has a fanatical fan base that can’t wait for training camp every July and then tailgate for hours prior to each game during the season. Regardless of the fan base followings basketball and football have, baseball offers many other reasons to show that it is the greatest sport. In my mind, part of baseball’s authority over the other sports is that it provides both a better fan and player experience. From the fan’s perspective, there is no other sport to watch as it provides a more dominant family atmosphere along with other rules of play differences that make it more interesting. Also, from the player’s point of view, baseball can provide a longer career which in turn provides additional player wealth.