4 The Effect of Baseball on Communities and its Comparison to Thick Institutions
By: EDUC 200 Student, EDUC 200 Student, Jack Sand and Trevor Kole
Our chapter revolves around baseball and more specifically the impact it has on communities and the similarities it shows to thick institutions. We conducted interviews, research and some internal studies to dive into this topic and this chapter should be a reflection of what we have found.
I felt compelled to write about this topic because I have a deep connection to baseball, as I have played it for as long as I can remember and It has created a majority of relationships that I still have in my life today. However this is not supposed to be a personal story, this is meant to be a narrative on how baseball can positively impact youth and communities. During our research process, I came across an image that was able to summarize the impact it could have on communities.
This is Ken Griffey Jr. who at the time of this image was considered one of the best players in baseball and had many separate accolades within the game. One of his many charitable acts during this time was his support of the Rainier vista Boys and Girls club, where he donated a car, money, and also took groups to disneyland all during a period of uncertainty with his team the Seattle Mariners, where they were on the verge of being sold and moved out of town. I feel that this quote summarizes an instance of how baseball can give a platform for individuals to impact youth and communities; “No matter what happens with the stadium or the team, I will always be here”. Despite seemingly having it all, and being able to do almost anything in life he stayed committed to serving the community and influencing the youth, through assets and social status that was provided to him through baseball. I also conducted an interview with someone who has a deep connection to the game in their life. He said “75% of my best 15-20 friends are from baseball, especially in my college years”. This further speaks to the community building aspect that Baseball can bring, as it can provide any individual that participates from ages 3-18 to meet new individuals that they wouldn’t have met otherwise. I find these qualities to represent a thick institution, for example Ken Griffey Jr. used his platform that he had gained from playing baseball. Here he is using this to serve the greater good and give back to children.
I personally felt a strong connection to this image because there are so many hidden storylines beyond the photo. This photo ties in so perfectly to what our topic revolves around. I have grown up around the game of baseball and have distinguished memories of ball players who were not only stars on the field, but found ways to make a positive impact off of it. That’s why this image here means so much to me.
This picture represents Ichiro Suzuki’s record breaking 258th hit in a single season at Safeco Park on October 1, 2004. Ichiro made an lasting impact on baseball as the first Japanese-born position player in the Major Leagues. His influence in Seattle was immense; he became the face of the team for over a decade, admired not just for his talent but also for his dedication to the community and charity work. Ichiro also bridged cultures, fostering greater understanding of Japanese culture among American fans. Personally, I admired his blend of talent and humility. As I conducted by interview, one thing he said that stuck out to me was when he said how he has such a strong bond with his teammates because of their aligning beliefs in the fact that hard work brings success. Ichiro embodies this message as he had to work his tail off to separate himself from talented professional Japanese baseball players in order to make it over to the United States.
November 7th, 2024, the Clemson University Baseball Team held an exhibition match versus the Savannah Bananas. This brought people from all over the country to watch the entertaining Bananas and the traditional college baseball team. The game of baseball, especially in the college scene, needs to grow. “Baseball has had a positive influence on the community and has for a century. Back in my day it was known as America’s Pastime.” During my interview it was important that we continued to use baseball as a way to connect the community. A harmless scrimmage against the Bananas was a good way to get the youth involved and connected. The game saw even more engagement from the fans than they did in 2023, as the Bananas’ brand has grown even more in the past year. It got plenty of social media buzz as Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter captured a lot of the game’s highlights. Games like these are important to get the community and youth involved in the sport of baseball.
While conducting my interview, I had a great conversation with someone very experienced with baseball within the University of Washington community. His experience extends through the past four years as a player and a fan through high school and middle school, as his brother also played at UW. When asked about what he thinks baseball’s impact on communities that it occurs in he said, “Baseball’s biggest impact is that it just brings people together…” After this, he described an event he participated in in high school to help kids with special needs play baseball. Through this event, he was able to see the impact baseball can have on a community by spreading joy. Baseball is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age, old or young there are opportunities for anyone to participate in the game as a spectator or player.
Our hope is that the reader is able to take away from this chapter, is that baseball fosters an environment similar to a thick institution. Often times, it brings people together either to compete with or against one another in a seemingly small world. It also has the ability to serve communities and create positive impact on youth, teens or anyone for that matter.
AI disclaimer:
We used chat GPT to help us add sources in APA format.
