Transparency Item: This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
One moment, I was on the edge of my seat watching then Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez step up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and runners on second and third. The next moment, my cousin and I leaped into the air as Vazquez — an unlikely hero — hit a walk-off home run to win the game. It’s moments like those that remind me why I love baseball.
In honor of the college baseball season starting recently, here is why everyone should come to agree that baseball is the greatest sport on earth.
The absolute best part of baseball is the lack of a game clock. A pitcher can’t just sit on the mound and wait for the clock to run out. Rather, they have to go after the opposing team and get all 27 outs — no exceptions.
When Dennis Eckersley, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Athletics, was facing then Dodgers MVP outfielder Kirk Gibson in game 1 of the 1988 World Series with a 4-3 lead in the ninth, he had to go after the batter. The result was Gibson hit a walk-off home run creating one of the greatest moments and calls in baseball history, according to Bleacher Report.
Former Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson hits a walk-off home run in game 1 of the 1988 World Series at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 15, 1988. Gibson’s home run came when the Dodgers were down by one with two outs in the ninth.
What also makes baseball so great is the fact that, if a team wants to mount a comeback, it’s entirely on them. Unlike in football or basketball, baseball teams don’t have to give the other team the opportunity to score until they’ve made three outs.
As the Chicago Cubs climbed back from a 5-2 deficit in the ninth inning in game 4 of the 2016 NLDS, they could keep their rally going until they made three outs.
Not to mention, there are more baseball games played in a season compared to other sports. Not including playoffs, the NFL plays 17 games in a season, and the NBA and NHL play 82 games in a season, but MLB has 162 games in a season, according to Bleacher Report.
For years now, I’ve spent my summers tuning in to watch the Red Sox just about every single day. As a result, great summer nights and baseball go hand in hand for me.
Some of these memories include watching Hanley Ramirez, former Red Sox first baseman, hit three home runs against the San Francisco Giants with my mom and grandmother July 20, 2016, or working at Fenway Park during summer ‘21 and getting to enjoy the game once my shift ended between the fifth and seventh innings.
Hanley Ramirez, former Red Sox first baseman, hits three home runs against the San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park on July 20, 2016. This game is one of my favorite baseball games I’ve ever watched.
Baseball is speculated to have been created by Abner Doubleday in 1839, but its true origins actually date to at least the 18th century, according to History. With how old the sport is, there are so many weird or interesting happenings in baseball you can’t find in other sports.
One of my favorite stories includes when, on Aug. 24, 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell was struck by lightning in the middle of a game after pitching eight and two-thirds innings but still got back up and finished the game, according to ESPN.
Outside of funny anecdotes like that, there are also major moments in baseball history that remind me why there’s no sport greater than baseball.
Examples include the Cubs breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat by winning their first World Series in 108 years in 2016, according to Sports Illustrated. Or the Red Sox and New York Yankees rivalry going back to the sale of Babe Ruth in 1919, according to Essentially Sports. Or the Dodgers and Giants rivalry traveling from New York to California, according to MLB.
With Spring Training recently starting and my X feed being filled with clips of pitchers throwing bullpens, I can’t help but feel nostalgic for the days growing up when I had the privilege to suit up and play the best sport there is.
College baseball is underway, and the MLB season starts March 28, so spend some time enjoying a game so fine it’s played on diamonds.
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Contact Tony Gleason on X: (@tony__gleason) or via email: anthony.gleason@pepperdine.edu
