Let’s Return Attention to America’s Favorite Pastime
It seems all the focus is directed towards football these days. But who could forget America’s pastime, baseball?
Right now, the baseball playoffs are in full swing. The Detroit Tigers have already punched their ticket to the Fall Classic, otherwise known as the World Series. The Tigers are waiting to see the winner of the National League championship series, which went to seven games between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals are looking for a return trip to the World Series, fresh off a win last year over the Texas Rangers. Ironically, in the year of 2012 this would be the Cardinals’ 12th World Series victory.
I believe baseball is a genuinely great sport. It is the only sport that it is considered a success when you fail seven out of 10 times. It is a very tough game that demands enormous commitment to excel. Some may have the misconception that baseball is a lazy man’s sport, but that couldn’t be any further from the truth.
Baseball is also a very unpredictable sport. Who would have thought the league’s two richest teams wouldn’t make the World Series? It does my heart good to see smaller-market teams defeat the big buyers, like the Yankees and Red Sox.
Despite the excitement and unpredictability baseball gives us, we still seem to push it aside to focus on football. Some may even find more interest in the preseason NBA.
What are some reasons for this? Is it because the game progresses slowly? Because Nobody is getting their head knocked off? Whatever the reason for people turning away from baseball, it is really a shame, because they are missing out on a very unpredictable sport.
As long as I can remember,I have been a fan of baseball. The sport has meant a lot in my life, and I feel it also is a big part of other people’s lives as well. It is always a lot of fun to get the family together for an afternoon spent at the ballpark.
This also has sparked some interest on how our own Arkansas Razorbacks will fare on the diamond this season.
Last year the Hogs were knocked out by a talented South Carolina team, who lost to Arizona in the championship series of the College World Series. The Hogs have aspirations to rebound from that heartbreaking loss and find their way back to Omaha, Neb. once again this year.
Coach Dave Van Horn always seems to bring in a solid recruiting class and this year looks to be no different. Arkansas always tends to have solid pitching and defense, supplemented by timely hitting to make their way through the tough Southeastern Conference schedule.
So, while you are flipping through the channels, you should always keep an eye out for baseball games that are coming up. You might see something happen that you have never seen before.
Zack Wheeler is a staff writer for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Tuesday. Follow the sports section on Twitter @UATravSports.
