Children Are Abandoning Baseball • Hacker News Board

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#11

Post by dawnbreez » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:11 AM UTC

rogerthis wrote: post #8

Didn't read it but, as a non-american, non-japanese nor venezuelan, i wonder what is the fun of playing baseball, as it is mostly a still sport, with some sporadic movement. I really enjoy watching it because I can easily read a book without paying much attention to the game, which I can't do by watching basketball. But I usually sleep over the book and when i wake up, the game hasn't finished yet.

Baseball's appeal comes from the skill involved in a good pitch and a good swing, along with the mind games.

That having been said, it's hard to sit still for it.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#12

Post by draw_down » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:18 AM UTC

rogerthis wrote: post #8

Didn't read it but, as a non-american, non-japanese nor venezuelan, i wonder what is the fun of playing baseball, as it is mostly a still sport, with some sporadic movement. I really enjoy watching it because I can easily read a book without paying much attention to the game, which I can't do by watching basketball. But I usually sleep over the book and when i wake up, the game hasn't finished yet.

It is an insanely boring sport. People should be abandoning it.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#13

Post by alistairSH » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:21 AM UTC

ColinWright wrote: post #5

Registration required - I can't care enough to bother finding an alternate source. Closed.

Use the "web" link under the title. It does the search for you.

(I wish HN would rename the link, as I see these posts several times a day and it's a useful feature).

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#14

Post by valleyer » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:22 AM UTC

rogerthis wrote: post #10

MisterBastahrd wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can do this while watching soccer, too. A lot of movement, nothing actually happening.

Me too, but playing soccer is a lot more fun, even for one of the worst player in the world (myself), who can run the entire field during the whole game without ever receiving the ball. At least, I do my physical exercises.

Fun is subjective.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#15

Post by dudul » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:42 AM UTC

rogerthis wrote: post #8

Didn't read it but, as a non-american, non-japanese nor venezuelan, i wonder what is the fun of playing baseball, as it is mostly a still sport, with some sporadic movement. I really enjoy watching it because I can easily read a book without paying much attention to the game, which I can't do by watching basketball. But I usually sleep over the book and when i wake up, the game hasn't finished yet.

Agreed. I'm a foreigner living in the US. I attended a baseball game live by curiosity and found it incredibly boring. I mentioned it the next day to my co-workers and they told me that the only reason to go see a baseball game was to get drunk, shout a little and go home after an hour or so (that is 1/3 of the game).

Popularity of the sport may depend on the region though.

While I can enjoy hockey, basketball and even a little bit of football, baseball is just unwatchable. I guess you have to be born in it.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#16

Post by douche » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:48 AM UTC

Let's see...

1.) You need a shit-load of people to play baseball anything like for-real. At minimum 15-20 people for two teams. Pretty tough to do as a kid, unless you're free to roam free all over town to gather a crew, which approximately 0% of kids have license/protection from CPS to do.

2.) You need a big enough area for a baseball diamond, where you don't have to worry about knocking out a window with a foul ball or an errant throw. Mostly, you aren't allowed to use the actual baseball fields to just play pickup. Compare with soccer or football, where any old open area is good enough, or basketball, which needs a hoop but probably takes the least space.

3.) Everybody needs at least a baseball glove. You also need a bat and a ball or two. Compare with sports that really don't require any specialized equipment, like soccer, football(two-hand-touch or recess-tackle style), and basketball.

4.) If you live in the northern half of the US, the season for playing baseball is almost exclusively during the summer months, when school isn't in session.

5.) Baseball on TV is maybe a half-step better than watching paint dry, and you have to pay for the privilege. Since they cleaned up the steroids, it's boring as hell.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#17

Post by Yhippa » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:51 AM UTC

I get the feeling that having so many games dilutes the quality. I can't watch regular season basketball, baseball, or hockey because you get the feeling players sleepwalk through the season until it gets closer to playoff time. The playoffs of these sports are very exciting to me usually because if you don't win you're done.

Add to that the idea of intentionally tanking your season so you can do well in a draft (happens in the NFL too e.g. "Suck for Luck") and I have no idea how people can be interested in the regular seasons of these sports.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#18

Post by supercanuck » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:52 AM UTC

In my neighbourhood, I was shocked to learn that the little league has to actually pay the city to use the community ball fields.

This came up in a conversation during AYSO soccer game where we were discussing the rising fees associated with the game.

To add to that, aluminum bats are $100+ and kids get to keep their jerseys. When I was young, the league recycled jerseys and had community equipment bags.

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#19

Post by w1ntermute » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:54 AM UTC

That's because baseball is terribly boring, especially compared to football or basketball. Who wants to spend 90% of the time standing around?

Re: Children Are Abandoning Baseball

#20

Post by agumonkey » Sat, Dec 26, 2015, 1:58 AM UTC

dawnbreez wrote: post #11

rogerthis wrote: post #8

Didn't read it but, as a non-american, non-japanese nor venezuelan, i wonder what is the fun of playing baseball, as it is mostly a still sport, with some sporadic movement. I really enjoy watching it because I can easily read a book without paying much attention to the game, which I can't do by watching basketball. But I usually sleep over the book and when i wake up, the game hasn't finished yet.

Baseball's appeal comes from the skill involved in a good pitch and a good swing, along with the mind games. That having been said, it's hard to sit still for it.

Agreed, and it is quite fun to learn how to swing a bat to cut against the ball. Something very satisfying when everything is aligned relaxed and tight on hit.