Editor: Bill is a pastor in East Texas and blogs at Broken and Undone.
Enjoying some good banter over at SBC Voices, somebody made the argument that football was better than baseball AND that it would continue to replace baseball as America’s Nat’l pastime.
Obviously that is insane… over a century of baseball cannot possibly be overrun by mere decades with the pigskin. So, having consulted with other baseball lists, here are substantive reasons (unlike those offered in support of football) for the supremacy of baseball over other sports (in no particular order).
- Spring Training.
- Opening Day — the ceremony of baseball’s opening day is unparalleled.
- Ballparks — The venues in baseball are far superior. There is simply no football equivalent to Wrigley or Fenway. More intimate, more friendly, better atmosphere… again, no comparison.
- The “Seventh Inning Stretch” & “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” — enough said.
- Stats… baseball has better stats.
- “The Clubhouse” vs. “The Locker Room” — the way teams come together in baseball is far superior to the way teams operate in other sports.
- 27 outs. It doesn’t matter if a team is down by one run or ten runs, their opponent still has to get that 27th out. Without a clock in charge, there’s always a chance, however small. You can never “run down the clock”
- Every Day — There is baseball every day. A grueling schedule is demanding and also gives a better gauge of who the best teams are.
- Extra Innings — the only sport that really knows how to break a tie.
- Pennant Races
- No-hitters, shut-outs, and “The perfect game”
- Playing Catch — This is related to the ballpark argument and really goes has more to do with the whole nostalgia of the game… no other sport compares with it.
- Baseball cards.
- SKILL — Baseball is a much better “skill” sport. You have to field AND hit. And hitting a baseball is arguably the most difficult thing to do in sports. It is the hardest sport to play at the MLB level. Almost never do you find a guy from high school or even college come right out and make an immediate impact.
- Minor League Baseball
- the College World Series
- the Little League World Series — Setting aside my animosity for committing too much family time to a sport at that age, the fact remains — I have never heard of a PeeWee Football Super Bowl.
- Better movies — The Natural, Field of Dreams, A League of Their Own, the Sandlot, even For the Love of the Game and Bad News Bears.
- Better Heroes — I recognize greatness in other sports, but not one has the same legacy of baseball: Cal Ripkin, Jr., Ernie Banks, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, and Jackie Robinson.
- Simply put… Baseball builds better men. Just a fact.
21. “Pride of the Yankees”
22. The only sport where the defense has control of the ball.
23. The only sport where it can truly be said “it ain’t over til it’s over.”
24. The 1969 Mets has to be a result of Divine intervention.
25. Singing a prayer – “God Bless America”.
#1 Should be the New York Yankees
Win or lose – and recently, it’s been mostly lose.
As a Cubs fan, I respect team-loyalty, but still must vehemently disagree.
A Cubs fan? Can you be a Christian and a Cubs fan?
Short answer: No!
Thoughtful answer: Not hardly.
Theological stretch answer: Maybe.
Ouch… I would expect that of a White Sox fan, but what do the Bombers have against the Cubbies?
CB… the Braves and the Cubs spent a lot of time on the bottom of the NL together. Surely there is some love there? What about Maddux? Can’t he be the ‘tie that binds’ our two clubs in some sort of peace accord?
I thought everybody loved the “lovable losers.” Be honest, deep down every baseball fan want to see the Cubbies break the drought.
You know, I used to like the Bulls (a little) and the Cubs, some. But living in Cedar Rapids and listening to the Chicago sports radio talk shows and games just made me turn on any team that has Chicago on the jersey.
I don’t even think hockey is a sport, but I still cheer against the Blackhawks. Is there a Chicago-based MLS team? I will cheer against them.
Listening to Chicago sports announcers and games turned me!
I lived in Chicago exactly one year. A cold place in the winter. I never was a Cubs fan, but I did think and still do think Michael Jordan was and probably will be the best basketball player who ever walked on a court.
He was also nice to my sons when he played baseball for the Birmingham Barons, but he was one sorry Baseball player.
Hmmm… Jordan – the best basketball player ever was a sorry baseball player. Sounds like more proof that baseball is the best sport ever.
I spent my childhood in Chicago before moving to Dallas in the 6th grade. Been in TX ever since. Never got into the Bulls (though I do agree concerning his on-the-court prowess. I was into the Cubs and da’Bears. I thought Harry Carey was awesome… never listened on the radio.
Dave – it sounds like you feel about Chi-town sports what I feel for everything Los Angeles. Except, I don’t have such a sophisticated reason.
Phillip Yancey wrote a book called “Where Is God When it Hurts?” I’m pretty sure he stole that title from a Cub fan.
Naw,
He got that title from Mickey Mantle. He was a Yankee and he always played hurt. Can you imagine how he would have played had he not been so prone to getting injured?
yep. Mantle was phenomenal and inspite of nagging injuries and alcohol abuse, still hit 536 home runs and is the greatest power hitting switch hitter of all time.
HA! That’s good.
Speaking of playing hurt, did you see that 3rd baseman last week? Dislocated his shoulder, popped in back in, stayed in the game, and later hit a double? All athletes are tough — I mean, not one sport has a monopoly on toughness.
Didn’t see it. But to do what they do day in and day out and especially after age 30 is amazing.
I saw that. It was gross.
Football is a game of brute force – low IQ preferred.
Baseball is a thinking man’s game. Ignorant people do not know that, but those who have played or watched the game and come to understand the intricacies appreciate this face.
Oh, and #2 ought to be the designated hitter rule. What a stroke of brilliance.
I wish the lesser league (known as the national league) would get into the spirit and adopt the rule.
Biggest game of the season for the boys in pinstripes today.
It is my learned Sports Genius opinion, that there is room in the Baptist Blog World for both Baseball and FOOTBALL, just as there is room for both Trads and Cals in the SBC. Therefore, I shall refrain from this debate, for I know from years of experience in Baptist Blog World comment threads, there is no Baptist who will change his or her mind about theology or Sports even when the evidence is overwhelming that they should. ROLL TIDE ROLL!!! and GO BRAVES!!! Down with the Yankees and what on earth is an Iowa Hawkeye? In conclusion, what could… Read more »
I love the article. Here are my responses in brackets. 1.Spring Training. [agree, better than mini camp or preseason] 2.Opening Day — the ceremony of baseball’s opening day is unparalleled. [this is a push, opening day of college football and NFL is great. I am watching three games right now] 3.Ballparks — The venues in baseball are far superior. There is simply no football equivalent to Wrigley or Fenway. More intimate, more friendly, better atmosphere… again, no comparison. [agree but its not a runaway, Lambeau Field and Soldier Field are something else] 4.The “Seventh Inning Stretch” & “Take Me Out… Read more »
Fair and reasonable response… Although I remain unconvinced by your arguments, they are very well presented (points fo the Soldier Field reference).
Considering #14, your point is well taken. You would almost never see someone go from hs to pro. So you have a sold point, but as a general rule there is a reason football does not have a farm system. But basketball is the easiest to make an immediate impact.
Also… Kudos on the Facing the Giants line. Well-played.
Thought of another this week…
Cultural Impact – when people do well at something they “hit a home run” or “knock it out of the park.” When they fail, they are said to have “struck out.” There are others, but you get the picture.
In science fiction, when you have to explain the nature of linear time to timeless creatures, you use baseball references, not football.
good stuff from the late George Carlin on the differences in the two games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmXacL0Uny0
HAHAHA…. A little skewed, but very funny.
He also had a bit on sports in which he said that there were three ways to make baseball better.
1. If you get hit by a pitch, you’re out. He said with to accurate pitchers you could be in nd out in thirty minutes an then ge home to watch football.
2. Landmines in the outfield. “there’s Johnson settling under he ball…. KABOOM…”
I can’t remember no. 3.
I alo remember his comments on hockey.
Bill,
I am assuming you have see Burn’s doc on Baseball including the extra innings. George Will’s point is that Baseball is the ulitmate game which displays American democratic ideas. Thus why it is the national pasttime. And to add to the aura , home plate is even shaped like a house. Safe at home!
m.b.
I’ll have to check that out… I would love the history and trivia. Thanks.
If you do check it out, its more than 20 hours or so of viewing. So you will have to watch it in segments. Each of the nine innings is about two hours and the extras are another three or four. Great stuff.
Installments? 20-hours sounds like marathon material to me!
Seriously though… will check it out.
Speaking of baseball, the Yankees needed a win today – as badly as any point in the season – and they managed to steal one from the Baltimore Zeroes.
Way to go, Yanks.
Dave,
I still dream of a WS between the Yankees and the Braves.
It’s happened.
In 1996 we spotted the Losers 2 games just to make them feel good about themselves and then spanked them 4 straight. Then, of course, in 1999 we just went ahead and swept the lesser team four straight.
After 8 straight losses, do you really want a rematch?
Dave,
I know the history. I watched it happen. That was then. This is now.
It is in the now that dreams come true. The past is but for memories.
But it was still fun to gloat.
Nice list Bill. Since I’m the guy who said that football has replaced baseball as America’s National Past Time. I’d love to respond. ? 1. Spring Training- I’ll take the NFL Draft and all of it’s hype over lame games played in 2 or 3 venues in warm climates. Thanks anyway! 2. Opening Day — Yeah, the first game of a long, boring 162 game season versus the start of a 12 or 16 game regular season where each game counts because there are not many of them. I’ll take football for $1000 Alex. 3. Ballparks — Wrigley and Fenway… Read more »
I am considering a permanent ban for such heresy.
LOL…I’m glad I could inspire such strong emotion!
This is more fun than arguing about Calvinism!
I’d rather watch an SEC football game than argue about Calvinism.
It’s not like it’s impossible to nap at a football game. My mom did it all the time (and she was about as much a sports fan as my dad, who was no slouch). Of course, Dad had a PhD in Chemistry, and Mom had a Masters in Math. Somehow I contrived to inherit their geek genes, but not their SportsFan genes.
Best discussion on SBCVoices. Have a great Sunday!
Baseball has my head, but football has my heart.
Some rebuttals (sort of). 1. Much superior to NFL’s preseason, inferior to the NBA’s though. 2. For tradition? Yes. But the openers of the NFL and especially college football are more meaningful. 3. Football has more modern and a better variety of venues. 4. Halftime with marching bands etc. blow away the 7th inning stretch. 5. Agreed. 6. Wishful thinking. 7. Agreed. 8. It makes far too many games meaningless. There are plenty of games where the players are obviously physically and mentally exhausted and going through the motions. Meanwhile in NFL and college football, nearly every game counts. 9.… Read more »