Baseball is not as boring as it seems.

Baseball is Not as Boring as It Seems

Baseball is said by some to be as exciting as watching grass growing. There is something to be said for that.

After you arrive at the baseball parking lot, you may have to walk a good part of a mile across concrete or asphalt and through the concrete corridors, tunnels and stairs to actually emerge from the vomitoria into the stands. What catches your eye immediately is the vast, perfectly groomed green field, which is a shockingly welcome contrast to the gray austerity you had to pass through to get there. This may be the most exhilarating and memorable part of your baseball experience. I'm not saying that just because the game is boring. Part of it may be that you downed so many beers that you forgot to watch the game.

Why drink so much beer at a baseball game? What else is there to do? There are no cheerleaders, no marching band, no fireworks. We'll, that last one is a lie. Fireworks appear after a homerun is hit. The most acclaimed games, though, are the pitcher's duels when hardly anybody, if anybody, gets on base. So baseball, at its finest, is a game with the least action, also its most boring.

Now, occasionally there are games where both pitchers get hit badly. They bring in relievers on both sides and they get hit too. The score keeps rising and the lead changes inning to inning. These are exciting games, and managers strive to avoid them at all costs because it makes them look bad even though the fans love them. They love them enough to put their beers down and pay attention to the game.

Now, I'm not saying that a baseball stadium is like a tavern, but there are comparisons. Instead of drinking beer and watching baseball on television, you're on television while drinking beer. That's a big difference. You're part of a real event with fresh air, and it's brighter and healthier than a smoky, dark old tavern. If for for no other reasons, you should go to a baseball park instead of a tavern for health reasons, if you can afford it.

Baseball games are expensive. It was a family affair at one time, but no more. It's only affordable if you leave your family at home and go with your buddies. You may not be able to justify going to a tavern, but you can make the argument that the open air game is better than sitting in a dark, smoky tavern, so you're, ostensibly, going to a baseball game for health reasons and to do research.

Research? Baseball is a game of statistics. There are fans who buy score cards and record the results of every "at bat" for every player. They can recall the day to day statistics of most of the players on their team, batting average, RBIs, etc., though that's nothing special. Most baseball fans have at least a vague idea of the batting statistics of most of the players on their team, but it's not the main reason they go to a ball park.

They're mostly there for the camaraderie, and the drinking, and of course the game. Don't forget it's a baseball game. Ostensibly, that's why you're there. And you watch, at first, but with the lack of action, it becomes less and less important. Baseball is a way to happily drink beer in a nice atmosphere and spend time with your friends with a backdrop of baseball. After all, it is America's pastime.