Baseball is one of those things in society that transcends age and generation. People of all ages root for and follow their baseball team. It doesn’t matter how old two people are, they can still have a meaningful discussion on many of the aspects of the game. Other sports are like this as well, but our national pastime has a history dating back to at least the late 1800s, the enjoyment of which has been passed down through families for decades.
I’m 25, so even in the best case scenario I’ve been watching baseball for merely two decades. There was a century or more of great baseball going on long before I knew what it was. What better way to learn about it than from someone who’s seen some of it live? Many fans love to chat about the past and their favorite players from when they were younger. Depending on age, they can start talking to you about baseball before the DH rule went into effect, or before the league was divided into divisions. You can hear about days when the All-Star game was something everyone wanted to watch, or games when legendary players, that some of us younger fans only know of from record books, roamed the baseball diamond.
Depending on what team you root for other fans of different ages can tell you stories about championships and pennant races from a different perspective. Older fans can reminisce about championships of the past, even comparing the current roster to the winning one. These fans can impart what it’s like to win, how much of a struggle it was, and how nerve-wracking it was watching. On the other side, young fans can often have hope and excitement for an upcoming season, reminding an older, more jaded fan what it’s like to believe in your team once again. Occasionally a fan that’s stopped following baseball is drawn back to the game they once loved as a bonding experience with a new young fan, whether niece, nephew, son, or daughter. The young fan is just embracing baseball and finding something to like and root for, and the older fan is imparting their knowledge of the game, and stories from times gone by.
One of the best things about baseball is that it’s both a complex game with many nuances, and a simple game that anyone can follow and enjoy. It’s an easy game to follow and there are plenty of intricacies to it that you can learn beyond the basics. You could walk into a baseball stadium, sit down in your seat and have virtually the same baseball conversation with the person in the seat next to you whether they’re black, white, male, female, old, or young. Sometimes they teach you something new about the game, and sometimes you’ll be able to impart your own knowledge to someone else.
Many people are introduced to baseball through their families. Going to games can often be a bonding experience, united in routing for the local team and watching them play. It doesn’t just happen at the stadium; plenty of fun can be had watching the games on television. Family and friends can sit down and watch a game together, bonding and chatting over the starting pitching, the team’s current position in the standings or watching a great player bat. Beyond that, baseball is the ultimate ice breaker for fans; Whether it’s meeting a distant relative, new coworker, interviewer, or stranger in line at Starbucks, fans always have last night’s game to discuss.
Personally I’ve started a tradition of going to the New York Subway Series with my father and my uncle every year. Even though we have different rooting interests, we have a great time. We’re able to have a legitimate conversation about the two teams and the game at hand. I get to hear stories about the old days and how and why they became fans. They tell stories about how different the game is, the price of tickets so many years ago, and how different the security was, among other things. I can discuss the benefits of these changes, of the DH rule, or why the game is better today.
Baseball is an ever-changing sport, but it’s a sport that transcends generation gaps. All people can find a way to enjoy and follow baseball, and in those discusses of differences and similarities bonds are born. Baseball has a way of drawing fans of all ages and cultures together to embrace a great sport and pastime.