Baseball

Ah... Baseball. If there is but one thing that can always put a little tingle in my fingers, a smile on my face and has me excited for the impending summer, it is the return of the Major League Baseball season. I know that in early April when those games start being broadcasted, not long from now we will be enjoying long, sunny days and warm, inviting weather. Few other things can bring this joy in me.

I am a long-time fan of sports of all kinds, mostly the four major North American sports (Hockey, Baseball, Basketball, Football [CFL and NFL]), but also greatly enjoy others such as Soccer (English Premier League would be my choice), Tennis (I follow some players and enjoy seeing a good match) and Auto Racing such as Formula 1 (I'm not into NASCAR), and though I never sit down to watch a whole tournament of golf, I do enjoy seeing the highlights of the golfers taking swings and sinking close-range birdies. And who doesn't enjoy every second year when one of either the summer or winter Olympics takes place? Being Canadian, I particularly enjoy such winter events as the Bobsled races, Snowboarding and (my typical girlish favourite) Figure Skating. But for now, back to Baseball.

Enormous green diamond fields of grass, red gritty dirt and dusty white chalk; metal chainlink backstops, the smell of leather gloves and the gleam of shiny wooden bats. These mental images of a classic Baseball game bear a certain kind of comfort in mind, whether it be a simple backyard pick-up game between school children or the teeming, exhilarating competition of the World Series. There is a certain optimism attatched to the game that can be felt from the most liesurely pitches to the hardest, bat-cracking hits. Perhaps it is the fact that baseball is always played outdoors, where the air is breathed clearly and the sun or the stars shine brightly. Perhaps it is the fact that Baseball is a long-lived, time honoured game that has grown up from the grassroots of America into the multi-layered, global organization that is celebrated in countries around the world. Perhaps, it is (at least, to me) the complete embodiment of simple fun. Blood on your knees, spit in your hands, dirt on your face fun. And no matter how professional it is, there is something eternal and coquettishly boyish about the baseball cap.

I love nestling myself on the couch getting ready to watch a game - memorizing player's numbers, learning facts and stats, listening to the knowledgeable comentators muse. Every time it has a different dynamic. Sometimes it is a relaxed, afternoon viewing where I just want to watch my favourite team throw some strike-outs and hit some runs. There are fans in the stands eating popcorn, mascots running foot races in the foul zone and the players popping pink bubble gum in the dug-out. Other times, it is more intense. Perhaps they are facing a division rival, and there is some real grit on the field. There are hard line-drives, diving catches and stolen bases. Perhaps the fans will 'boo' a hated player on the opposing team. A coach may disagree with an umpire's call, and the argument elevates until they are literally screaming in each other's faces and the coach gets tossed. And (though it doesn't happen as much any more) every once in a while one can witness a bench-clearing brawl. For some reason these guys think that if one of them is going to fight, they all have to fight. Such a group mentality. Rivalries run deep in Baseball and they bring a certain righteous hatred that adds extra juice to the games.

Some people say that Baseball is a slow, mind-numbing, boring game (I quote Jeremy Roenick who said it was "worse than watching grass grow") and it is filled with over-paid players that can't in all honesty be considered real athletes. They say the season is too condensed and that if a team can play 180+ games in less than 7 months then they simply can't be that significant. They say that a game that is timed by innings rather than periods gives way for it to be tedious, soft and no where near the caliber of a hard-hitting game such as Hockey. To those people, all I have to say is that it is all about what it means to you. If it isn't your cup of tea (or box of Crackerjacks), then just forget about it. If all you care about are the playoffs, then that's fine too. But if you really love Baseball for WHATEVER reason, then all power to you. There have been moments in my past watching Baseball games where I have laughed, cried, jumped around screaming with joy (shout out to my Brother over Johnny Damon's grand slam that lead the Red Sox to victory over the Yankees in the 2004 American League finals) and other times when I have thrown the remote at the TV in rage (MLB does not use instant replay to correct umpire calls, and some times they just did not get it right the first time). Perhaps I base my love on romantic, old-fashioned notions that support a slightly conservative viewpoint, but actually that's the kind of person I am. It is true. But what cannot be argued is that Baseball is a very much loved sport for men, women and children of all ages and nationalities. It a tradition that brings people together, it is a game that helps individuals to reach for their highest potential, and it is a spectacle that captivates masses. Most importantly, it is a cornerstone in the sporting world that will live on for years, decades, perhaps even centuries to come.