The Great American Pastime

The great "American Pastime" is something that I have had the opportunity to enjoy while I have been living in Washington, DC. Baseball in the U.S. is called this because during the late 19th and early 20th century it was probably the most widely played sport in the country. Kids and families played all the time. It was that era’s video games and reality TV. Imagine that, kids actually wanting to play outside!

Being from Columbus, I rarely have opportunities to neither see a professional baseball game, nor have cared to if I am being completely honest. I have never been a big baseball fan mostly because I didn’t have a team to cheer for. Somehow within the last eight weeks though, I have been converted into a Nationals fan.


The first game we went to I was stunned by the amount of people and excitement that was present. Being a diehard football fan, I didn’t think I could find something as enjoyable as witnessing my Buckeyes run on the field or watching the Denver Broncos via my TV. There is a sense of national pride at a ball park and people seem to be content even if the game is a bust. That sense of American pride at the park thrilled me more than I thought it would.

After that first game, I have attended a few more. I also find myself not skipping over the baseball scores on ESPN as I usually do this time of year. Perhaps more people should experience this “American Pastime” more often, something that used to be such a commonality for everyone in the country, something that most people could agree on and enjoy together.

-Shannon Ryan