Play Ball!
Spring has arrived which means Baseball is back. The return of America’s pastime is not only about 162 baseball games that will be played by each team in a number of cities nationwide, even in Canada and now Puerto Rico, but also marks an unofficial start to spring and means summer is on the horizon. In many places the first month of games are played in less than ideal condition but fans everywhere bare the cold weather to root on their team. Baseball brings people together in many ways. Below you will find a number of possible suggestions to help make the baseball season fun and full of adventure.
Office Parties
Getting your coworkers, contract workers, and the entire office together for a baseball themed event is always a great way to increase office moral. Furthermore, it gives people the chance to get to know one another in a more casual setting. Spending some time together in a stress free environment can help take the edge off of people. This can be done in a number of different ways, such as taking the entire office to a game in your local city. This will provide a much needed brake from the usual settings of the office, but this is not the only option. You can set up fan days in which wearing team apparel is encouraged to help lighten the formal office mood. You can also schedule a watch party or private room at a restaurant or bar where people can eat, drink, and root for their team in a casual setting.
Weekend Trip
One of the things that makes baseball unique is the number of games played and the format in which these games are played. Games are played in a series verse another team and these series are most commonly three or four games. This provides a great reason to travel with friends or families. Many people don’t always have ideas for how to use all of their vacation time and taking a trip to a nearby city to see another ball park and root for your team can be a great adventure. This gives you a reason to travel to a certain location and instantly gives you something to do. The baseball game, or games, you attend can only be the start. You can meet up with people you know from elsewhere that you don’t see often in a location that might be mutually convenient. In addition you can research restaurants, activities, and attractions in these cities to visit. Going for a baseball game might be what gets you to pick a city, but going to a game does not have to be the only activity once you are there. Finally, many baseball teams and support organizations offer you packages to these locations to support their team. This means all you have to do is find one of these trips and logistics can be made hassle free and costs will potentially be lower due to purchasing as part of a package.
Birthday Celebrations
Everyone likes to have memorable birthday parties for themselves and their children. A baseball themed party or group trip to a ball park is always a fun adventure. Most baseball teams welcome such adventures and even offer package discounts, or party rooms, and having the birthday person’s name put up on the scoreboard. A trip to a ball game does not have to be the only part of a day wide celebration. You can look into a daylong adventure that revolves around the ball park. Their typically are many venues with neighborhoods around a ball park with lots of activities. This can be part of a daylong adventure and celebration to make a birthday special.
Common Ground
The sport of baseball has a lot more to offer then an occasional trip to the stadium or adventure to an out of town park. It is a game based on numbers and statistics and following records, batting averages, and ERA’s throughout the season which can be lots of fun as well. There are many ways to do this. You can join a fan club, start a Facebook or social media style group, or simply have a board at the office to track these numbers. Keeping the numbers up to date and posted does not have to be a one person job and can usually involve many people creating a common ground. In addition, many message boards exist that you can read or post on to further a conversation revolving around a team or a player. These activities, provided by the game of baseball, help create a need distraction at times and help people relate on a common ground of sports fanaticism.
Rivalry
Finally, it is important to point out that everyone in one city might not support that city’s home team. The rivalry created by sports can also be a fun bonding experience. Yes, at times, people do go too far but the average fan knows a person who roots against their team. Making some fun jokes and giving a coworker or friend a hard time following their teams defeat at the hands of your team can also be very fun. It is important to remember a few things though. Your team will also lose occasionally so dish out jokes only if you are not prepared to be on the receiving end of some as well. In addition, remember sports are meant to be fun, so have fun with it. Don’t get too consumed by losses or victories but remember to enjoy the moment. It is great to have a rival, just don’t take it too far!
Sports are a huge part of the American culture. Baseball is considered America’s pastime. Enjoy the season and all the fun and all the ups and downs that come with it. Share the joy it brings you with others, but also share the bitterness of defeat. Just remember sports are supposed to be fun.
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