We all love baseball for different reasons. The end of a season cannot diminish that love.
It inevitably happens at the end of every season. Fans, players, coaches and organizations are overcome with different emotions and feelings as their season comes to a close. 162 games are played by every team. We are filled with the hope that when October comes, we get to play just a few more games. Throughout the season we feel excitement, frustration, happiness, and so many other feelings. The season can feel like a roller coaster. But, of all of the feelings within a season, I believe one of the most underrated of those feelings is greed.
We desperately want to see more games starring our favorite players, and exciting moments. The feel of winning a championship, and this feeling of desperation intensifies as the season closes. We want nothing less than to win a world series. When the race for the post season is on the line the greed becomes almost overwhelming. This it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is because we feel an undying deep and passionate love for the greatest game on earth. Every fan that walked into a stadium, tuned into a game, or read about the team has a story. They have a reason why they care. We are filled with a hunger and a desire to see all of the moments that make up a season. Every ballpark in America and around the world is filled with stories. Countless of these stories are so much bigger than baseball.
Generations of Americans have flooded to the stadiums, gathered around the radio, and now tuned in on smart phones tv’s and other devices to follow the stories that surround each team. We all have our own experiences, and they mean so much to so many of us. Stories are forever recorded in history about overcoming racism, scandal, heartbreaks and tragedy. Baseball is a diverse community and it spreads to other nations far beyond our borders.
This year alone, a young fan traveled to each stadium and threw out the first pitch with a prosthetic hand showing the logo of each team. She was only eight years old, and anyone can see the joy on her face as she visited with each of the teams. There was an Oakland outfielder hit a home run in the game right after his mother died of ALS. Tears streaming down his face as he rounded the bases thinking of his mother. A couple of years ago Dee Gordon hit a home run following the death of his team mate Jose Fernandez, and it was so emotionally moving. These moments surround the game every day. Feelings that expand beyond the field, it is just more reason to have such a love for the game. It touches our hearts throughout the entirety of the season. As we leave for college, start new jobs, move, are struck by loss, or just on a Saturday afternoon with family, no matter the situation baseball is there.
You can see Haileys story below.
Hailey’s #Journeyto30
UPDATE: Hailey has reached her goal and finished her #Journeyto30! More info: https://www.unlv.edu/news/release/eight-year-old-hailey-dawson-completes-her-jo…
Most of us can paint the picture in our minds right now of the ballpark. The Rich colors that fill the stands while fans of all ages flood the seats to watch athletes fight to round the bases more times than the rivals. The smells of hot dogs and popcorn mixed with fresh cut grass and beer. The sounds of a wood bat making contact with the ball, the loud crack that catches the crowd’s attention as they all cheer and jump to their feet, cheering and clapping as a fan gets the best souvenir we can all wish to have. The rumble of the crowd as the organist plays our favorite ball park jingles. As we picture this, our personal memories span many different parks and generations. Its baseball. We all love the feel of the ball park, and no matter what team we support, we come to the fields cheering and wishing for success for our team.
Then just as fast as the leaves fall of the trees, the gluttony wears off. Twenty-nine teams are left wishing that they could have done more, and one team is left feeling accomplished. The thing is, it is so easy to let that be the biggest let down of the year. That is not the way it should be. Don’t forget that is truly the ride throughout the entirety of the season that we really enjoy. The wholesome feeling that comes from being within a community of baseball lovers. The feeling of pride when we travel and share a nod or a compliment to others wearing our team logo. Baseball brings us all together and there isn’t much else like it.
Bur let us also never forget the memories we made at the park. Maybe it was a family event that brought you there, or maybe it was friends. We come to see the boys of summer, but also visit for birthdays, anniversaries, get togethers, drinks, food and the love of the game. When the last pitches are thrown, and the post season begins, remember all of the memories, because what baseball does for people is so much bigger than the game itself. A post season berth doesn’t change the special memories created while enjoying a game.
As much as fans love their team, they want to see the successes of a great ball club. We are prideful of our ball clubs. It is important that we don’t forget that every other fanbase wants the same thing. Let’s not disrespect other fans or teams. We live for the magical moments that bring us all together, and not every team can bring home a championship trophy. So, wear your team colors with pride, watch the games, listen to the stories. Let the kids cheer, and the players celebrate. It is okay to be greedy and excited about the future of your team. Baseball has such a rich history, and there is always hope for next season.
Most importantly, never forget why you love the game of baseball.
