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Why Do You Love Baseball


Chisoxfn

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I was writing in another post and talking with my old man tonight and we were talking back about our visit to Yankee stadium when I was 16 (went on a roadtrip on the East Coast for my 16th and we saw Cooperstown, Old Tiger Stadium, Toronto, Philly, Pitt, Cincy, Cleveland, Yankee Stadium, Fenway, and Camden Yrads) and it made me think, why do I love baseball so much.

 

The more I thought about it, what makes me love baseball is that its one of the things that has been the glue of my relationship with my dad (and grandpa until he passed away). I remember going to game after game with him and taking road trip after road trip with him as a kid to see new stadiums and various things (going to Cooperstown was one of the most amazing things I'll ever remember). Than I thought back to 98 (what a season for baseball, steroids or not) and all the Sunday night family dinners we'd have watching Sosa and Big Mac hammer homers (while putting up with Morgan/Miller). On top of that, the joys of actually seeing some baseball milestones. A perfect game (El Presidente, Dennis Martinez against the Dodgers), a no-hitter (Mark Langston/Mike Witt combined no no thrown by the Angels), Henderson's 3000th hit, Bonds tying Aaron, and Henderson breaking the all time runs scored record.

 

Man I love baseball (from all the joys of playing it, to all the great memories I've had watching it).

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I love baseball because...

 

Sometimes Hawk brings it up, but it was designed so perfectly. 90 feet was perfect for the base-paths. Imagine how many of those bang-bang plays would be clear outs if they were longer or how many guys would clearly be safe if they were shorter. Imagine- guys would be throwing 105 mph if the mound was 55-58 feet from home.

 

It's a beautiful game. Just ask Gerald Early, who made this quote famous, and so it's one of my favorite quotes of all time.

"I think there are only three things America will be known for 2,000 years from now when they study this civilization: the Constitution, jazz music, and baseball. They're the three most beautifully designed things this culture has ever created."
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The highest of highs when your team is winning. And the lowest of lows when your team is struggling (not my favorite part, but a part) I have never had such a love/hate relationship with anything like baseball and the Sox. I live for the highs that baseball produces for me (i.e. 2005 and many times this year).

 

Also, the history of the game that dates back to pre-1900. Seeing Yankee Stadium this month and seeing Monument Park, just all the history involved with the game. Many moments in my life that I remember involve the White Sox. I can remember specific events from way back with detail.

Edited by maggsmaggs
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I don't know, but when I went to the Sox-Royals game last week and sat down in Row 12 30 minutes before the game with my food and drink in hand, the first words I said to my friend who went with me, were, 'I love baseball.'

 

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Why do I love baseball?

the history

the fact that I have watched so many games and still see something new and amazing in each one

how perfect it is

hot dogs

the nicknames

watching games with my dad

running out of work to my car at 10pm to try to catch the end

The first glimpse of the field when going to the game

fireworks after a homer

plays at the plate

yelling at an ump

just throwing the ball around

Spring training

hitting a whiffle ball off a tee at the age of 6 pretending to be the entire lineup

pickoffs

I could go on but I'll leave with two quotes:

 

"With those who don't give a damn about baseball, I can only sympathize. I do not resent them. I am even willing to concede that many of them are physically clean, good to their mothers and in favor of world peace. But while the game is on, I can't think of anything to say to them."

- Art Hill

"It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone."

- A. Bartlett Giamatti

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The outdoors.

The odd perfection of the game.

Playing catch

The late inning rally

The no-hitter (thanks Buerhle)

 

THIS SITE WOULD NOT EXIST, which may be a good thing.

 

Baseball allows you to discuss and form bonds. It is a mens (and some women) sewing circle. You sit around parties and gatherings and discuss why Konerko sucks and how good could Danks be. Is Floyd this good? How about Quentin! Remember going to the old park and drinking at 18. Parties and get togethers are more frequent in the summer and baseball is the tonic.

 

Beer

Opening Day

World Series

 

The minor leagues and prospects

 

SPRING TRAINING

 

Coming from the midwest, the weather really impacts your emotions and baseball allows you to enjoy this.

 

Having young boys now we have gone to three games this year and are playing more. We stayed up until Linebrink blew only to start their day off right with news of the win. We are learning the teams and catching pop ups. Hitting wiffle balls and learning what it means to be kids and enjoy life. To play baseball all you need is a wall, mitt, ball and imagination.

 

Fast Pitch

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-The fact that the game has evolved to the point of perfection.

-Every game is different. Every game, you see something you've never seen before, be it big or small, and might not ever see again.

-Because there are so many games, you get to know and become attached to players. I have never met Paul Konerko or Mark Buehrle, but I feel like they're old friends.

-Nothing in sports is more suspenseful when it's the bottom of the ninth, two out, you're team is up by one and your closer is trying to get the last out with the tying and go-ahead runs at second and third.

-Nothing is more exciting than a shot down the line or a screamer in the gap with the bases loaded.

-Nothing is more pleasant than a successfully-executed hit and run.

-It gives me something to talk about with my father and grandfather.

-No matter how many times I've seen them, watching 05 highlights still brings me to tears.

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the fact that there is time to talk about the game. There is too much going on in other sports. Between each pitch you can discuss what happened in the third or last week or Rogers Hornsby averaging .400 for five years. There is time to talk baseball without missing anything.

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QUOTE (earthshiner @ Jul 15, 2008 -> 12:01 AM)
Why do I love baseball?

the history

the fact that I have watched so many games and still see something new and amazing in each one

how perfect it is

hot dogs

the nicknames

watching games with my dad

running out of work to my car at 10pm to try to catch the end

The first glimpse of the field when going to the game

fireworks after a homer

plays at the plate

yelling at an ump

just throwing the ball around

Spring training

hitting a whiffle ball off a tee at the age of 6 pretending to be the entire lineup

pickoffs

 

Well said as is many other posts, but yeah I could go with all these and then the rivalries, the smell of the fresh air at a game, carlos quentin, maple bats(not really), fights at home plate, and fan interference(alright enough of that)

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With a background and profession in various fields of design, I'm into aesthetic sensibilities and stories.

 

Baseball is the sport which more than any other is in touch with both. There are no two ballparks exactly alike, each designed and made to fit the land procured for their purpose. The uniforms are steeped in tradition, the logos and lettering and nicknames of yesteryear preserved for generations. You don't have to put nameplates on the back of your jersey if you don't want to. The bats are still wood. They decided that things like concrete donuts, astroturf, and double-knit v-necks weren't such good ideas. Grass, brick, piping with buttons are back in force. In the stands there are things like nachos, elephant ears, churros, hamburgers, pastrami—hell, I think you can even get sushi in Seattle, or so I've heard—but the dogs, peanuts, and beer spring eternal.

 

It's exciting but relaxing to take in a game. There are home runs and suicide squeezes, pitcher's battles, and no-hitters. The keeping of score isn't the same in any other game. Because going to a Bears or Bulls game wasn't the same as going to see the White Sox, even in dismal years like the late 1980s. Because while I can still tell you every player on the 1985 Bears roster, I never dreamed of taking the field at Soldier Field like I did at Comiskey Park.

 

Because like Phil Berquist said in City Slickers "When my dad and I couldn't talk about anything, we could still talk about baseball."

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QUOTE (LosMediasBlancas @ Jul 16, 2008 -> 09:22 AM)
A million reasons.

I like that it's outdoors and in the summer, so the weather is usually great. Can't say that about the other three major sports.

I like that you can bring the entire family. Do you take small children or grandma to NFL games??

Well, I don't go to football games, but I do take the family to basketball and hockey games.

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QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Jul 14, 2008 -> 09:30 PM)
I love baseball because...

 

Sometimes Hawk brings it up, but it was designed so perfectly. 90 feet was perfect for the base-paths. Imagine how many of those bang-bang plays would be clear outs if they were longer or how many guys would clearly be safe if they were shorter. Imagine- guys would be throwing 105 mph if the mound was 55-58 feet from home.

 

It's a beautiful game. Just ask Gerald Early, who made this quote famous, and so it's one of my favorite quotes of all time.

 

Check my signature.

Edit: It's been there for quite awhile.

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