The famous nine-inning game filled with hot dogs, chants and home runs has returned, which means baseball season has officially started! With each MLB team playing 162 games, it will be a race to the postseason and, ultimately, the World Series. In my opinion, here are my favorite parts of this game:
1. The simplicity of the sport.
If you don’t know how baseball works, two teams play each other for a series. A series usually consists of three to four games, sometimes even two. The team that wins the most games wins the series. The team with the highest number of wins in a season will advance to the playoffs and compete to reach the World Series, the championship event.
2. The connections with the teams and players
Chicago Native and Cubs fan Ms. Williams shares her love for her team: “I’ve always loved the Cubs, but Anthony Rizzo made it personal. He overcame childhood cancer, made it to the big leagues, and became the heart of the team. His strength, both on and off the field, inspired fans everywhere—not just because of his talent, but because of his resilience and generosity. Additionally, the song ‘Go Cubs Go’ remains to be a catchy song echoed through Chicago!”.
3. Giveaways and concessions
If you enjoy some free stuff, go to an Angels or Dodgers game. The giveaways include cool merchandise like jerseys and bobbleheads, and the concessions are also such a fun part; whether you want a hot dog or an ice cream cone, you can find it at a ball game as well. Each team has a unique menu, and collecting each mini helmet ice cream sundae is so much fun.
4. The feeling of having your team win the World Series.
The 2024 World Series Winners were the Los Angeles Dodgers after winning 98 games over the course of the season. Two fans, Yamileth Guzman ’25 and Sra. Kappe ’03 both share their love for the Dodgers. Guzman says, “I’ve been looking forward to it all year, and I’m especially happy because my Dodgers are doing so well. I love watching them play – they have so many amazing players, with my personal favorite; Will Smith. They’ve been really fun to watch. Every game makes me even more excited for the rest of the season and I can’t wait to go to many games this summer. Go Dodgers!” Touching on her personal connection, Kappe expressed, “I love the Dodgers because my grandpa, my dad, my husband, and my son love the Dodgers. It is a family tradition! A simple reason, but it is the truth! “.
5. The variety of stadiums
Each stadium also has a distinctive part of the place that is special to that city. When you hear of the Los Angeles Angels, you think of the Big A; for the Dodgers, it is their palm trees. The San Francisco Giants have the Coca-Cola bottle, and those are just a couple. An excellent bucket list item is to visit all 30 stadiums. I have so far visited four!
Though picking a favorite part of baseball is hard, mine must be the welcoming environment and dedication each fan has to their team. I am so excited to go to night games this summer. Comment down what you’re most looking forward to!
