John Chidley Hill.com A blog about reading, writing, pop culture and sports.

22Apr/102

Let’s try a little positivity…

One of the things I love about baseball is the relaxing atmosphere of afternoon games, particularly when broadcast from Turner Field on Peachtree TV.

I’m reading Sports Illustrated’s Great Baseball Writing and I’ve learned something from the various essays and articles in the volume – the great American pastime is always in a state of hand-wringing about the State of the Game.

Think about it. At the turn of the 20th century there was great concern over the hoodlums who played the game. The 20s were marred by gambling scandals, primarily the one revolving around the Chicago White Sox and the 1919 World Series. After that was World War II, segregation, integration, labour strife and, most recently, steroids.

There’s always a new problem plaguing the sport.

In all that doom and gloom there isn’t enough talk about what makes baseball great. I’m as guilty of this pessimism as the next person. This season alone I’ve taken shots at my hometown Toronto Blue Jays, complained about lengthy games and weighed-in on Joe Cowley and talk of moving the Jays.

So let’s get positive. Let’s talk about three things that I love about baseball.

1)      Afternoon Games
Nobody likes to work during the summer. It’s a drag. Everyone would much rather be outside, enjoying the sun. Unfortunately, employment is a necessary element of being a part of today’s society.

However, baseball matinees can provide some respite from the drudgery of work. Following the game on the radio, on TV or on the Internet is always a pleasant distraction from a job.

A particular favourite of mine is to follow the Atlanta Braves on Peachtree. Their announcers are laid back and the fans at Turner Field are great. It’s always relaxing and fun to watch.

2)      Tradition
I really enjoy the little social behaviours that surround baseball games. Waiting for the half inning to return to your seat after a trip to the concession stand. Judging a person’s character based on whether or not they use the real pitcher’s rubber during the opening pitch. Singing, stretching and dancing during the seventh inning stretch. They’re all good.

A particular favourite is the habit of Torontonians to boo any opposing team that dares to have a mound meeting or try to pick-off a runner. No matter what the situation, Jays fans go nuts at the very thought of another team trying to invoke strategy.

3)      The Fans
Baseball fans can’t compete with other sports’ supporters in terms of passion or intensity, but they are definitely smarter. Hockey fans, as much as I love ‘em, are basically only capable of three sounds – boo, cheer and Go <team name> Go!  The rest of the game is spent in a fixed state of concentration. Football and basketball fans are much the same.

However, baseball fans sing songs together, come up with chants, and best of all heckle. No matter where they’re sitting in a stadium they will yell at the top of their lungs lengthy diatribes on their target’s short-comings as a player.

Their knowledge of bench players and opposing teams runs deep too, with many fans citing the personal lives  of the athlete. Remember when it was rumoured that Alex Rodrgiuez was stepping out on his wife with Madonna? Good times. Truly, a golden age of heckling.

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  1. This may be the first time I’ve ever read anyone use Braves fans and great in the same sentence without it being laden heavily with sarcasm.
    Baseball is a thinking sport (not that others are not, just to lesser extents). There is an infinite amount of strategy on each and every pitch. Even football, which more strategy than other sports except baseball, is limited to a slim list of choices.
    Baseball is driven, from a fans perspective, by the debates it creates- its longevity and tradition is a wonderful piece of those debates. The fact that the fundamentals of the game have not changed is something remarkable as well.
    It’s simultaneously a complex and simple game.
    I can do without much of the heckling, especially when there are kids around- it’s far better to come up with a truly intelligent insult that can be enjoyed by all!

  2. What I love is the tempo of baseball. People complain it is too slow, but to me it is the exact pace of a summer day. It has the perfect, relaxed cadence.


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