Of Books and Ballgames—Reflections of a Literature-Loving Sports Fan
None of us actually fit into neat little boxes. That’s simply human nature, and yet stereotypes become stereotypes for a reason. They point to some truth about how things are or how people behave. The problem with stereotypes is that they are generally only partial truths. Simplified truths without context or nuance.
Lately it feels like I’ve come up against a lot of stereotypes. Sometimes it’s helpful for my own mental clarity to look at myself through these categories, but then when I do so, I often realize I’m a bit of a puzzle, even to myself at times.
I was an English major who has always been quite bookish. I’m an old soul who loves classic literature, period pieces, and everything vintage. I’m not sure what’s the exact opposite of an English major, but in many ways it seems like it might be a sports fan.
This is somewhat anecdotal, but I don’t know many people who share many of my primary interests who also love sports the way I love sports, especially traditional "ball" sports (baseball, football, basketball).
This is not to pick on English majors (I’m so proud of my major and loved my professors and classmates [I even married one!]), but in my normal circles full of writers, readers, and editors, I don’t often bump shoulders with sports fans.
This isn’t even a complaint, but an observation. It’s an observation I have had often enough to make me ponder why this might be the case.
I have a few theories.
But first let me explain what I mean by being a sports fan (And the opposite of this).
For example, the other people in many of my circles tend to be the type of people who may watch a major sporting event purely for its social value and may remark sarcastically “Yay—sports!” (Don’t get me started).
Is enjoying sports nature or nurture-based? I suppose like most things, it’s a bit of both. I certainly grew up around sports, not only in my immediate family, but in my family history. My dad’s cousin was a well-known quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and my great-grandfather was a minor league baseball player and manager. My dad himself was a varsity baseball and football player in high school and into college. My mom isn't the biggest fan of all the classic “ball” sports, but she was a gymnast and a runner–and she passed down to me a love of both of these, like my dad passed down to me a love of baseball.
Both my parents highly encouraged playing sports, not necessarily at a competitive level, but more for the physical benefits, including being outdoors. By the time I was into my teens, I had tried out a plethora of sports, officially including tennis, swimming, soccer, softball and more recreationally, basketball and volleyball.
Most of these I loved (besides soccer—still not quite sure why all the kids were (are?) obsessed with this one, and basketball—it’s not in my nature to aggressively get into others’ personal space like that).
As I’ve written about in another place, baseball is the sport that is king for me and truly makes my experience as a sports fan transcendent. Any sport has the power to evoke deep emotions and compelling narratives, but with its inherent nostalgia and Americana factor, and my connection to it growing up, baseball has a special place in my heart.
I’ve been thinking about this even more than usual because of the incredible season the Milwaukee Brewers are having. It feels like this is the season I’ve waited for my whole life, and goodness knows I’m no fair-weather fan. It’s immensely gratifying to pour your heart into a team for so many years and finally see them not only win but seem like they’re just having a ball (sorry, not sorry) doing it.
The comments section on recent Brewers posts are filled with fans attributing this team’s success to Uecker or Angels in the Outfield magic, or perhaps a combination of the two. It sure does feel like there’s something extra special about this season. Uecker’s play-by-play was the soundtrack to my summers for years and his voice was home base (I know, I know, the bad sports puns need to stop) for me. Angels in the Outfield also happens to have been my favorite movie as a kid, so these two things combined do seem to be infusing this season with some extra magic.
I think all Brewers fans are thinking, “It could happen.”
Baseball is king to me, but there are not many sports that I actively dislike and couldn’t get into. When the Olympic Games are on, I enjoy watching and learning about almost any sport. The struggles and challenges behind the confident athletes we see on TV, the team camaraderie, the highs and lows of each event or game create naturally compelling stories that are often better than fiction.
It seems like there are several things that are true of me that, on paper, would make it unlikely that I would also love sports. Maybe I like sports despite being an English major, despite being a female, and despite having other interests that don’t seem to overlap with being a sports fan (if this was theoretically a Venn diagram) because I grew up in Wisconsin.
This is Theory #1. Wisconsin has a strong sports culture and fan base. Even when they’re not at the top of their game (pun attended), the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, and Bucks have loyal fans who have a strong sense of place. We have the storied history and legends, including our beloved Brewers radio broadcaster Bob Uecker.
Maybe I like sports despite these other things because I grew up with them in my own family.
This is Theory #2, but is really more than a theory. I know this one is at least partly the reason. It’s obvious with my own sons that children become interested in what their parents are interested in. I have specific memories of my dad explaining the rules of baseball to me and playing catch on our dead-end street growing up, which adds to the baseball nostalgia for me, and in turn feeds right into being an old soul. This is two-fold exposure. I both watched/listened to sports growing up and had experience playing them. That mind-body connection packs a punch.
Sports are essentially the perfect balance of repetition and sameness, yet with infinite possibilities and often small tweaks to the rules, the pros and cons of which fans love to debate. This is all part of the allure.
Theory #3 is that sports are conduits for stories–often really good, compelling stories. I alluded to this before. Whether it’s overcoming adversity of some kind, improving skills, working together as a team, dedicating the game to a beloved family member, or breaking a longstanding record, it’s human nature to love an underdog story. I think in this way, watching sports is a mirror for us. We see the arc of our own ups and downs, highs and lows, struggles, challenges, and victories played out on the court or the field.
Regardless of the reason, I’m far from the first person to suggest that sports are more than the place they’re played, the equipment used, or the game itself. It’s interesting that, along with their penchant for philosophy and exploration of the human psyche, it was the ancient Greeks who popularized sporting events–some of which, of course, were the precursors to our modern Olympic Games.
Even the marathon–which was not meant to be a rigorous sporting event, but was rather a 26-mile (fatal) sprint undertaken out of necessity, has endured and is one of the pinnacles of our modern sports culture.
This brings me to my fourth and final theory:
Theory #4: Sports are physical activities that are actually just as beneficial for our mental health. This is, of course, true when we’re participating in a sport, but I think it’s also often true when we’re listening to or watching a sport (whether in person or on TV). Just a few of the benefits of sports beyond the obvious physical benefits:
Camaraderie—sports bond us with the people with whom we watch them (or play them) and allow us to share in the broader human experience.
Common Ground—sports give us an equal playing field (I know, I know, sorry); we can all be fans and can talk about the game, no matter our background.
Excitement—sporting events are something to look forward to. You can never quite know what the outcome will be and that’s why it’s fun.
Relaxation—there aren’t many things that are both relaxing and exciting at the same time, but sports are often that (I’ll admit, not always). I know I’m not alone in feeling that attending a baseball game, for example, is the quintessential relaxing yet fun activity.
Grounding–it’s comforting to know the rules of the game. Even with all the excitement, record-breaking, comeback wins, etc., sports still operate within a set framework of rules. This is immensely satisfying and comforting when so many things in life seem aimless and arbitrary.
There are many more reasons, but these are some food for thought.
So, what’s the point of all of this? Mostly just that I’ve been a diehard Brewers fan since I was in utero and this is the first year I’ve experienced the pure magic of a scrappy team that has franchise high winning records. It’s been an absolute blast to listen to and watch them (especially in person—on the road and soon at home! <3).
It’s also been truly meaningful to me.
When you’ve given so much time, heart, and love to a team that is special, but, let’s be honest, historically rather disappointing (especially in the postseason), it’s a euphoric feeling to see them win–and win-and win some more, but to also clearly have so much fun doing it. 30+ years of diehard Brewers fandom has made me feel one hundred percent a part of this victorious season. It’s been a joy, in large part because I’ve been able to share it with family members who are also Brewers fans.
I don’t know where this baseball season will ultimately end up for the Brewers, but regardless, it has underscored my belief in the power of sports. Whether it’s the boys of summer, fall and the start of football, the excitement of the Olympic Games, the madness of March, or even the random (to me) golf tournament or hockey game that happens to be on that hubs and I end up watching and getting into, sports are transcendent. They’re magic, just like a good book is magic and sticks with you beyond the pages.
And Brewers, in case you’re listening, my dream job has always been to write content for my favorite sports team. Just sayin.’
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