LOVE AND SPORTS

Why I’m Still in Love With Baseball

The American pastime still offers unique experiences other sports don’t provide.

The author is in front of City Hall, celebrating the Giant’s first World Series Championship since 1954. November 3, 2010. San Francisco, CA. Copyright: Author. All rights reserved.

Baseball’s long and storied history began when it was introduced in the 1800s. It grew in popularity during and after the Civil War prompting the New York Mercury to the sport as the “National Pastime” in 1856.

Watching legendary players like and , childhood traditions like collecting baseball cards, and even the simple joy of playing in the sandlot would contribute to its popularity for over a century.

But interest has declined in recent years, and most Americans now consider football as their . Many casual fans will even say they prefer watching basketball, hockey, or even soccer because the speed at which those games are played offers more excitement.

The most common word used to describe baseball is “boring.”

Baseball no longer has as many passionate fans as it once had for most of America’s history. Rising player salaries and the cost of attending a single game have also not helped the sport.

MLB has implemented to help speed up the game and attract more fans. That’s a good start, but like everything in life, it’s…