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| How to start following baseball — fans enjoying a game at Wrigley Field stadium in Chicago on a sunny day |
Baseball can be quite daunting when starting out. The pace is slow, people will be cheering at unexpected times and there are lots of numbers on the scoreboard. However, no-one knows how to play, everyone has started from scratch. This article will help you get started by choosing a team, learning the scoreboard and watching each game each season.
Choose a Team (or not)
The easiest way to get into caring about a game is to choose a team. Most people will cheer for their local city team as they will be shown on local TV and your friends will be cheering for them. If there isn’t a local team to choose then simply choose one that you like! Maybe you like the colours, a particular player or the city. Alternatively you could watch for a while and let a team pick you!
Learn the Scoreboard
The scoreboard will tell you everything you need to know about the game. You will see the score, inning, outs, balls and strikes. A full count is 3 balls and 2 strikes. The line score will tell you how many runs each team scored in each inning. Once you know how to read the scoreboard you can watch an entire game in less than a minute on your phone!
Maria’s Short Story
Maria had moved to a new city for work and didn’t know anyone. Her neighbour invited her to watch the home game on TV so she decided to cheer for the home team as they were local. She learnt the names of the players and by the end of the season she had something to chat about with her neighbours and work friends. The team became her way of getting into the new city!
Play Often
Teams play almost every day between spring and early autumn so you won won’t have to wait long! Check the standings once a week and watch the highlights if you miss any games. The season is a slow build up and it’s lots of fun to watch each day!
Watch a Full Game
Find a quiet evening, make a snack and watch an entire game! Take note of the flow of the game. Who is pitching? Who is batting? What’s the pause? What’s the crowd doing? Listen to the commentators explaining what is happening. By the 9th Inning the game will feel slower and easier to understand. You will understand much more!
FAQs
How long is the baseball season?
The regular season runs from Spring to early Autumn. The playoffs and World Series happen in October. Teams play almost every day so there is always a game to watch!
What team should I choose?
If you have a local team then start with that. If not then choose a team for a simple reason. Maybe you like the city, colours or a player!