April holds a special place in my heart, as these first few days mark the start of six months full of triumph, challenge, heartbreak and victory. What exactly am I referring to, you ask? The first few days of April are opening days in the baseball world — all over the country crowds cheer as first pitches fly and wooden bats crack loudly in the first official game.
Growing up in New York, I was molded into a Yankee fan before I could walk. Tiny Yankee pinstripe jerseys featured in my wardrobe by age two, and I worked rigorously to remember the names and positions of all the players. My cousin swore she would marry Derek Jeter, and I fumed when they traded Soriano — my favorite player of the time — for A-Rod.
I vividly recall the first baseball game I ever attended, sitting in the stands at Yankee Stadium next to three generations of family, listening attentively as my Pop taught me the words to “Take Me Out to The Ballgame.” I wanted to impress him and pestered him with millions of questions on players and stats and types of pitches.
Every male on my dad’s side of the family played baseball all through college, and everyone on my mom’s side watched the games with equal enthusiasm. The sport became a family affair, one that could bond and excite us all, and perhaps this sentimental aspect is part of what draws me to the sport even today.
At first, my attraction to baseball came from wanting to fit in with the adults I looked up to as role models. It wasn’t long, though, until I began to love the sport on its own merit, which is why it saddens me to see the lack of hype or appreciation for this opening event. Nobody crowds around Trinity to watch Major League Baseball, and wild fans don’t rush to plan out fantasy leagues. Nobody plans a baseball-themed spring philanthropy event.
Has America’s pastime really lost so much of its popularity? While so many college students passionately support their favorite football and basketball teams, I know significantly fewer people who cheer as fervently for baseball. In response to my excitement, several friends of mine have announced that they find baseball “long” or “boring.”
This is not to say the sport has no college fans — and to those of you who share my giddiness for baseball season, I salute you. However, at least from my perspective, baseball fans remain vastly outnumbered by fans of football and basketball. Isn’t this supposed to be “America’s Sport”? Where is the love I remember from my youth?
To those people who find the sport “boring,” I suggest that maybe you simply are not watching it correctly. If you don’t understand what is happening during the game, of course you won’t find the two hours of playtime particularly engaging.
Though games may run long, baseball requires skill, patience, coordination, strength and passion among the players. Once you become dedicated to a team, you can’t help but get excited when your favorite player comes up to bat or sweat when the bases are loaded with a full count. These moments may be somewhat complicated to understand, but they are in no way “boring.”
I know I won’t change everyone’s opinion about baseball, or suddenly convert U.Va. into a school of baseball fanatics — or better yet, Yankees fanatics. However, I encourage everyone to give baseball another try before they write off the sport as too “boring” to watch.
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