About America's Favorite Pastime
Baseball has a long and storied history in the United States
A pastime refers to an activity or hobby that a person enjoys and engages in for relaxation, amusement, or entertainment during their leisure time. Pastimes are typically pursued for the pleasure they bring rather than as a serious or work-related endeavor. They serve as a means of relaxation and diversion from the routine demands of daily life. Baseball is America's favorite pastime.
The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration acknowledges baseball as America's favorite pastime. Sports Illustrated recognizes baseball as America’s pastime and the godfather of American sports. The National Baseball Hall Of Fame describes baseball as America's national pastime. The Library Of Congress documents baseball as the National pastime.
Baseball has a long and storied history in the United States. It has been played in various forms since the 19th century, and its evolution has been intertwined with the country's growth and development. America's first recorded baseball game was played at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, NJ on June 19,1846.
Amateur teams flourished in the northeastern United States, prompting the New York Mercury, in 1856, to declare baseball the “National Pastime.” During and after the Civil War, soldiers spread the sport in every direction.
By 1869, the earliest team card had been produced, uniformed clubs operated on the West Coast, and the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the first openly professional team. Baseball could now wear a “Made in America” label on its sleeve. Today, America's largest amateur baseball league is the MSBL (Men's Senior Baseball League)
The sport of baseball has played a significant role in shaping American culture. It has been depicted in literature, film, and music, becoming ingrained in the nation's identity. The sport is associated with traditions, rituals, and a sense of nostalgia for many Americans.
Baseball has traditionally been a widely followed and participated-in sport across the United States. The game's popularity, along with its status as a national pastime, is evident in the enthusiasm and traditions associated with Major League Baseball (MLB) and local baseball leagues.
The nostalgic sport has served as a unifying force, bringing communities and families together. The shared experience of attending or watching a baseball game fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared identity.
Culturally, baseball is woven into America’s fabric. It’s the backdrop for traditions like the seventh-inning stretch—where fans sing "Sweet Caroline" in places like Boston’s Fenway Park—and iconic foods like hot dogs and Cracker Jack.
It’s also a statistical obsession: sabermetrics, the advanced analysis of baseball data, has transformed how teams evaluate players, focusing on metrics like on-base percentage (OBP) and wins above replacement (WAR)
Baseball’s charm lies in its timelessness—no game clock means a theoretical inning could last forever—and its ability to create indelible moments, like a walk-off home run or a perfect game.
It’s a sport where history and modernity collide: fans still debate legends like Babe Ruth, who hit 714 home runs in an era without night games, against today’s stars like Shohei Ohtani, who in 2024 became the first player to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season.
An estimated 80 million people attend Major League Baseball games annually. And according to Statista, roughly 16 million people above the age of six years old play baseball in the United States. It's no wonder the game of baseball is still considered America's pastime.
