2008 Woodie Awards
Society and sports
Brendan Clark
Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: Sports
One of the things I love about sports is that while a contest is occurring, the rules of society are nearly erased and you are able to do many things which would usually be deemed inappropriate. In baseball for instance, putting your cup on in plain view of the crowd is acceptable, but it would get you arrested on the streets. Spitting constantly is frowned upon by high society but it's perfectly normal on the baseball diamond. And my personal favorite, slapping your teammate on the butt is not weird; it is completely normal and even encouraged.
As a baseball player, I wouldn't think twice about this gesture of congratulations, so why is it that I refrain from congratulating people in the real world in the same way? First, there would be legal consequences. Second, my street cred would fall dramatically if I walked around hitting dudes in the butt. But most of all, it's because society (the man) is holding me down. Imagine a world where an everyday situation was treated like a baseball situation.
Baseball: It's a one run game in the eighth, the bases are loaded with two outs and you're on the mound. You take a deep breath, spit off the mound, and then adjust your cup out of habit. You deliver the pitch and its strike three. As you walk off the mound your teammates meet you with high fives, pounds and pats of congratulations on the hindquarters. You walk into the dugout and take off your shirt to ice your arm because you're done for the day.
Class: It's 8:53 and your teacher has put you on the spot with a difficult question. If you get it right he'll add 5 points to your test grade. So you take a deep breath, walk around a bit, hock a loogie on the floor and scratch yourself. You take your seat again and answer the question correctly. Immediately you are doused with high fives and pounds from all angles. As you stand up to leave the class your professor slaps your backside with authority. It's hot in the building so you take off your shirt and head for the door.
This would never happen. But wouldn't you be a little more pumped to go to your 8 o'clock class if it did? Consider it.
So what is it about a baseball field that can turn friends into enemies for nine innings, make a bad call as offensive as someone dissing your grandma, or completely turn upside-down the rules of society? Because sometimes we all need a break. The real world is full of worries and consequences, but a baseball field is a place where everything is left on the field after nine innings and the rules are not written by society, but instead are learned by years of watching and living the sport. It's what makes a baseball game more than a game, it's an experience. So maybe we should all try to live life a little more like it's a baseball game. Have fun, get excited about the routine plays sometimes, and remember to leave it all on the field. Just be careful how you congratulate.
As a baseball player, I wouldn't think twice about this gesture of congratulations, so why is it that I refrain from congratulating people in the real world in the same way? First, there would be legal consequences. Second, my street cred would fall dramatically if I walked around hitting dudes in the butt. But most of all, it's because society (the man) is holding me down. Imagine a world where an everyday situation was treated like a baseball situation.
Baseball: It's a one run game in the eighth, the bases are loaded with two outs and you're on the mound. You take a deep breath, spit off the mound, and then adjust your cup out of habit. You deliver the pitch and its strike three. As you walk off the mound your teammates meet you with high fives, pounds and pats of congratulations on the hindquarters. You walk into the dugout and take off your shirt to ice your arm because you're done for the day.
Class: It's 8:53 and your teacher has put you on the spot with a difficult question. If you get it right he'll add 5 points to your test grade. So you take a deep breath, walk around a bit, hock a loogie on the floor and scratch yourself. You take your seat again and answer the question correctly. Immediately you are doused with high fives and pounds from all angles. As you stand up to leave the class your professor slaps your backside with authority. It's hot in the building so you take off your shirt and head for the door.
This would never happen. But wouldn't you be a little more pumped to go to your 8 o'clock class if it did? Consider it.
So what is it about a baseball field that can turn friends into enemies for nine innings, make a bad call as offensive as someone dissing your grandma, or completely turn upside-down the rules of society? Because sometimes we all need a break. The real world is full of worries and consequences, but a baseball field is a place where everything is left on the field after nine innings and the rules are not written by society, but instead are learned by years of watching and living the sport. It's what makes a baseball game more than a game, it's an experience. So maybe we should all try to live life a little more like it's a baseball game. Have fun, get excited about the routine plays sometimes, and remember to leave it all on the field. Just be careful how you congratulate.
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