9 Things to Love About Baseball
The beginning of spring always brings a new season of baseball. So, in celebration, here are nine reasons to love this sport, one for each inning.
1. No Time Limit
Unlike most sports, baseball has no time limit. That means it ain’t over ’til it’s over, and the excitement of an extra-inning ball game is second to none. Need some proof? The longest recorded Major League game was on May 1, 1920. After 26 innings, Boston and Brooklyn ended with a 1-1 tie. Long enough for you? If not, in 1984, Chicago defeated Milwaukee 7-6 in a game that lasted eight hours and six minutes.
2. Who Needs Instant Replay?
In baseball, there is no challenge flag, no video booth so the umpire can take a second look at a close play. From calling balls and strikes, fair or foul, safe or out, the game is completely under the umps’ control, which adds to the fact that baseball is a gentlemen’s game, and that ultimately, you can only control how you play your game.
3. Its Unique Language
ERA, WHIP, OBP, SLG%, BA, SV, K, BB, E, IBB, H, R, IP, AB, LOB, HBP, W, L, CS, RBI, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, GIDP, DP – just a few examples of the second language baseball players and fans know and love. Baseball is all about numbers. It’s an intelligent game, not for the weak-minded, but yet when you boil it down, it’s quite simple. Hit the ball, field the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball.
4. The Presence of Failure
A 30 percent success rate in most sports isn’t considered good. But in baseball, fail to get a hit seven out of ten times, and you’re one of the better players. In baseball how often you fail is less important than your timing when you do succeed.
5. It’s a Game of Inches
Sixty feet and six inches. That’s the exact distance from the mound to home plate. The height of the mound from the ground is 10 inches, and 17 inches is the width of home plate. And those are just regulations. Imagine the actual surface area while trying to hit a round ball with a round bat. The batter has only
1. No Time Limit
Unlike most sports, baseball has no time limit. That means it ain’t over ’til it’s over, and the excitement of an extra-inning ball game is second to none. Need some proof? The longest recorded Major League game was on May 1, 1920. After 26 innings, Boston and Brooklyn ended with a 1-1 tie. Long enough for you? If not, in 1984, Chicago defeated Milwaukee 7-6 in a game that lasted eight hours and six minutes.
2. Who Needs Instant Replay?
In baseball, there is no challenge flag, no video booth so the umpire can take a second look at a close play. From calling balls and strikes, fair or foul, safe or out, the game is completely under the umps’ control, which adds to the fact that baseball is a gentlemen’s game, and that ultimately, you can only control how you play your game.
3. Its Unique Language
ERA, WHIP, OBP, SLG%, BA, SV, K, BB, E, IBB, H, R, IP, AB, LOB, HBP, W, L, CS, RBI, 1B, 2B, 3B, HR, GIDP, DP – just a few examples of the second language baseball players and fans know and love. Baseball is all about numbers. It’s an intelligent game, not for the weak-minded, but yet when you boil it down, it’s quite simple. Hit the ball, field the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball.
4. The Presence of Failure
A 30 percent success rate in most sports isn’t considered good. But in baseball, fail to get a hit seven out of ten times, and you’re one of the better players. In baseball how often you fail is less important than your timing when you do succeed.
5. It’s a Game of Inches
Sixty feet and six inches. That’s the exact distance from the mound to home plate. The height of the mound from the ground is 10 inches, and 17 inches is the width of home plate. And those are just regulations. Imagine the actual surface area while trying to hit a round ball with a round bat. The batter has only