I especially love your point about the extraordinary ability it takes to pitch and hit, and how you can count on the rhythm and sameness of the game. I’m not actually a baseball fan, but I always love watching people perform their special talent or skill, and pitching seems like a miracle to me. My dad played Triple-A baseball for the Twins farm team. I’m going to send him your article, because he will love it!
Massively disappointed that footnote 2 wasn't more snack related. Officially presenting my Things to Have at a Ballgame List:
1 - Beer. Obviously not for everyone but baseball is a lot more enjoyable with a cold one.
2 - Hot dogs. This brings to mind numerous Dollar Dog Nights in my twenties when I tried to do the seemingly easy "one an inning" which is actually quite difficult. Optimal number is four.
3 - Cracker Jack. It's in the song, people! Plus, there's no other socially acceptable time to eat it.
4 - Peanuts. I feel worse about this with nicer stadiums, but I grew up attending games in a shithole. I recently attended a college football game at an old, dilapidated stadium and indulged and it's quite wonderful.
5 - Funnel Cake. My first real shocker. I never did this until a game in 2019 at a minor league park and wowzers it's perfect for the rhythm of baseball.
6 - French Fries. Massively underrated ballpark food because so many fries are not good enough to elevate above condiment delivery system. Would rank higher if not for this.
7 - Ice Cream. Look, enough baseball is played in the heat that this absolutely deserves a top ten position. If it was universally sold in little helmets it's much higher.
8 - Chicken Fingers. Really the most underrated food in any situation.
9 - Elaborate But Unmessy Sandwiches. I'm including full sausages, well put together cheesesteaks, and barbecue. Pittsburgh sucks but Primanti Brothers at the ballpark is legendary. Unfortunately, too many places make these sandwiches a mess and it's disgusting.
10 - Cotton Candy. Extremely limited age range in which to eat this so it can't rank higher. But delicious.
Wonderful read! Noah's grandfather, QQQ, Sr., also played baseball at UNC and then on a championship baseball team with the air force. Oh, and when we lived in Chicago, we were big Cubs fans!
I especially love your point about the extraordinary ability it takes to pitch and hit, and how you can count on the rhythm and sameness of the game. I’m not actually a baseball fan, but I always love watching people perform their special talent or skill, and pitching seems like a miracle to me. My dad played Triple-A baseball for the Twins farm team. I’m going to send him your article, because he will love it!
Massively disappointed that footnote 2 wasn't more snack related. Officially presenting my Things to Have at a Ballgame List:
1 - Beer. Obviously not for everyone but baseball is a lot more enjoyable with a cold one.
2 - Hot dogs. This brings to mind numerous Dollar Dog Nights in my twenties when I tried to do the seemingly easy "one an inning" which is actually quite difficult. Optimal number is four.
3 - Cracker Jack. It's in the song, people! Plus, there's no other socially acceptable time to eat it.
4 - Peanuts. I feel worse about this with nicer stadiums, but I grew up attending games in a shithole. I recently attended a college football game at an old, dilapidated stadium and indulged and it's quite wonderful.
5 - Funnel Cake. My first real shocker. I never did this until a game in 2019 at a minor league park and wowzers it's perfect for the rhythm of baseball.
6 - French Fries. Massively underrated ballpark food because so many fries are not good enough to elevate above condiment delivery system. Would rank higher if not for this.
7 - Ice Cream. Look, enough baseball is played in the heat that this absolutely deserves a top ten position. If it was universally sold in little helmets it's much higher.
8 - Chicken Fingers. Really the most underrated food in any situation.
9 - Elaborate But Unmessy Sandwiches. I'm including full sausages, well put together cheesesteaks, and barbecue. Pittsburgh sucks but Primanti Brothers at the ballpark is legendary. Unfortunately, too many places make these sandwiches a mess and it's disgusting.
10 - Cotton Candy. Extremely limited age range in which to eat this so it can't rank higher. But delicious.
Wonderful read! Noah's grandfather, QQQ, Sr., also played baseball at UNC and then on a championship baseball team with the air force. Oh, and when we lived in Chicago, we were big Cubs fans!
The football accident bit was unexpected, and the obit fragment was intriguing. There may be another story.
100% about baseball.
Erin,
Loved how this post was written.
It's hard for me to be a baseball fan. Life long Mets fan in NYC. In feudal terms, the Yankee fans are the lords and we Mets fans are the serfs.
But that's not the good point you made. I'm glad you have something soothing to watch.