Baseball is different from any other sport, very different. For instance, in most sports you score points or goals; in baseball you score runs. In most sports the ball, or object, is put in play by the offensive team; in baseball the defensive team puts the ball in play, and only the defense is allowed to touch the ball. In fact, in baseball if an offensive player touches the ball intentionally, he's out; sometimes unintentionally, he's out.

Also: in football,basketball, soccer, volleyball, and all sports played with a ball, you score with the ball and in baseball the ball prevents you from scoring.

In most sports the team is run by a coach; in baseball the team is run by a manager. And only in baseball does the manager or coach wear the same clothing the players do. If you'd ever seen John Madden in his Oakland Raiders uniform,you'd know the reason for this custom.

Now, I've mentioned football. Baseball & football are the two most popular spectator sports in this country. And as such, it seems they ought to be able to tell us something about ourselves and our values.

I enjoy comparing baseball and football:

Baseball is a nineteenth-century pastoral game.
Football is a twentieth-century technological struggle.

Baseball is played on a diamond, in a park.The baseball park!
Football is played on a gridiron, in a stadium, sometimes called Soldier Field or War Memorial Stadium.

Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life.
Football begins in the fall, when everything's dying.

In football you wear a helmet.
In baseball you wear a cap.

Football is concerned with downs - what down is it?
Baseball is concerned with ups - who's up?

In football you receive a penalty.
In baseball you make an error.

In football the specialist comes in to kick.
In baseball the specialist comes in to relieve somebody.

Football has hitting, clipping, spearing, piling on, personal fouls, late hitting and unnecessary roughness.
Baseball has the sacrifice.

Football is played in any kind of weather: rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog...
In baseball, if it rains, we don't go out to play.

Baseball has the seventh inning stretch.
Football has the two minute warning.

Baseball has no time limit: we don't know when it's gonna end - might have extra innings.
Football is rigidly timed, and it will end even if we've got to go to sudden death.

In baseball, during the game, in the stands, there's kind of a picnic feeling; emotions may run high or low, but there's not too much unpleasantness.
In football, during the game in the stands, you can be sure that at least twenty-seven times you're capable of taking the life of a fellow human being.

And finally, the objectives of the two games are completely different:

In football the object is for the quarterback, also known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy's defensive line.

In baseball the object is to go home! And to be safe! - I hope I'll be safe at home!

in football,basketball, soccer, volleyball, and all sports played with a ball, you score with the ball and in baseball the ball prevents you from scoring.

THIS WILL OFFEND THE USA CREW

BASEBALL...The beloved game of the Americans. Based on a children's game and Originally called "ROUNDERS", played by British children at School in leagues for under 11's. After that only played at Senior School by Girls. NO ONE is allowed to wear Gloves just to catch a little ball, or any other protection. 

So Americas Gift of Jazz and Baseball is fundamentally flawed. What Americas gift really is, is  HOW TO HAVE FUN AT A SPORTS EVENT  . Now that is the way to do it 

Several ball games were played by the Vikings, the rules of most of which have been lost over the ages. The balls for these games were made of wood or leather, and no, the players didn't wear horned helmets for protection. The best known of these games was Knatteleik, which seems to have been a variant of baseball, since the players were divided into two teams and one player had to hit a hard ball with a bat. Notably different are that it was played from dawn until dusk, tournaments could last for weeks, teams could consist of as few as two players, and physical contact was encouraged (players were actually allowed to fight over possession of the ball). There are also rumors of a game in which a player was to bat a ball at the other players, hoping to connect with a Norseman that wasn't quick enough.

From: Ball, Bat, and Bishop: The Origin of Ball Games by: Robert W. Henderson -

Henderson repeatedly argues that ball games hold a common origin in ancient Egyptian fertility rites, and maintain links to such rites throughout most of their spread and development.  Originally representing the conflict between the gods Horus and Set, and between the dying winter and coming spring, Egyptian fertility rites involved teams in mock combat over the Òhead of Horus.Ó  Eventually, puppet heads and later, crude forms of balls, replaced the human heads initially used in the ritual.  This and similar rites diffused throughout ancient societies of North Africa and the Middle East, following the cycle of seasons and being adapted to local conditions and needs.  From there, ball games spread with Islamic invaders in the Middle Ages, from Spain to France and beyond.  By the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, several ball games were widely popular throughout Europe.  Some, such as tennis, which for some time was only played inside monasteries, owe their popularity to religious institutions.  Other games remained tied to seasonal rites.  Modern secularized sports like baseball and cricket developed from these earlier forms of popular ball games.

BASEBALL...The beloved game of the Americans. Based on a children's game and Originally called "ROUNDERS", played by British children at School in leagues for under 11's. After that only played at Senior School by Girls. NO ONE is allowed to wear Gloves just to catch a little ball, or any other protection.

Then the next player from the team who is "IN" goes "OUT" and is considered "IN" until he is "OUT".

I love World Cup Soccer, Football, and Hockey.
I was thrilled when Ft. Worth got its TMS (Texas Motor Speedway) but forget about seeing any races. I think they are sold out until the next millennium, lol. Racing is in my family (drag, motorcycle, dirt bike) and I'll never forget driving to Indy and Chicago from my hometown in NW Indiana. I'll always remember Steve Moorehead. Gotta share this story!

It was 1982-1983 I believe. My dad took us to Chicago to see the races. Since we grew up going to races as far back as we could remember, we knew them all by name. Steve Moorehead was my favorite! Scott Parker (#2) was my sister's favorite.

Anyway, we were still sitting in the stands long after the race was over and most of those in attendance had already gone. Being kids, we went down by the fence (back and forth) to see whatever action remained hoping for the chance to see Steve. I finally gave up and sat down a bit closer to my parents who were chatting with my uncle and aunt who came with us. I never noticed anyone behind us.

Suddenly, these 2 guys behind us, about 12 ft away, asked if we enjoyed the race. Giddy, I went on and on about the results and standings throughout the race. He asked if I had a favorite. I said with much enthusiasm, "Yes, Steve Moorehead!"
He smiled and asked 'you think he's great huh?"  "The best!" I said.

The two guys kept smiling and looking at each other. Then it finally hit me! OMG! IT WAS STEVE MOOREHEAD I WAS TALKING TO! What a thrill!!

But for someone from our very own board to have met STEVE MOOREHEAD is an honor. (I've never heard of him)

Yanowhiz, ya stinker! You're too funny! Oh, but ya had to be there. What a thrill!
Yes, I know, I already said that. But trust me, it really was!

To this day, I'd rather meet him again than Jeff Gordon...without a doubt.

You hear about this stuff all the time in the movies (commercials, like that one with the little kid at the Hotel meeting Jeff Gordan or whoever that NASCAR driver was.)