America's favorite pastime is and always will be baseball. Professional baseball in America is over 125 years old and continues to be the best attended sport in the country.
Every year, more than 70 million Americans attend baseball games! In total, there are thirty teams who play at the elite level-29 are in America and one is in Canada. While baseball is not the most tiring sport, the American baseball season is a long and grueling test of stamina, of energy over a long period of time. Each team plays a minimum of 162 games every season, and often goes for weeks at a time without a free day.
Most of baseball is played during the summer months of June, July and August. Americans attend not only to enjoy the warmer weather but also to cheer on their favorite baseball team. Attending a game is truly a unique experience.
Food and drink vendors walk throughout the stadium, selling delicious snacks and beverages. Without standing up, attendees can get everything from hot dogs, to cola, to peanuts delivered directly to their seat.
If you are particularly lucky, you may even catch a foul ball! Although considered unsportsmanlike, "booing" the opposing team is also quite common. Attending a baseball game in America is all about the experience. Watching a baseball game on television is simply not the same as the real event in a baseball stadium.
In the future, if you have an opportunity to go to America you should attend a baseball game. I strongly encourage you to go and experience the upbeat, enthusiastic environment.
Alternatively, as Taiwanese baseball continues to rise in popularity-due to the success of baseball stars like Chen Wei Yin and Wang Jian Min-perhaps you can attend a baseball game between two of Taiwan's four professional baseball teams. Be sure to bring some peanuts!