For a lot of people not addicted to the sports, loving baseball may be something short of madness. For them there is no excitement in seeing grown-up men chase a tiny ball, thrown or whacked by another grown-up man who obviously wanted the ball to go beyond the reach of others. But for baseball enthusiasts, it is the best game in the world, even celebrated in little pieces of cardboard called baseball cards. Most cherished are Topps baseball cards, those simple reminders of the eminent men of baseball, that come with the performance statistics, names, signatures and other data so precious to the spirit of baseball fans.

But how come baseball is so popular? The foremost reason is because it is a viewer sport. For the reason that it is held in an open area, it may be viewed by many persons. Even if watching is confined to the quantity of people who line the edge of the baseball field, the number is still great. Contrast baseball to chess and you get the notion. If only a percentage of the number is truly engrossed in the sports, the actual fans will be greater in number. One unassailable proof is the gigantic arenas mainly for staging baseball games.

Second, baseball is an activitygame. There is a lot of action, but usually in flurries, so the viewer is not overpowered. A viewer can actually follow the movement of the main players as they fly around the bases, throw the ball, or run home to score. But breath-taking, quick action occurs fairly often, enoughsufficient to get people addicted to watching the games. Furthermore, the game is quite easy to follow, the players easily viewable, winning and losing quickly understood.

Next, it is a game of deeds. The guyplayer who hits the ball to beyond the field and score successive homeruns is a hero. The pitcher who regularly outs his batting competitors is a hero. The outfielder who catches the fly ball with the bright sun shining in his eyes is a hero. Any player who makes a home run inspite of great odds, is also a hero. They may be infrequent, true, but they are there and you must watch the games to see them.

Baseball is a multi player sports, from two players to 20 or even beyond that. It is adaptable enough that from two players one as batter, the other as pitcher and fielder it can include to as numerous as desired, as long as the field can hold them and all agrees to the set-up.

Then it is sports for everybody. For every age, any status, from all walks of life: there is no prejudice or prerequisites. A child, a father or a senior citizen and all the others between and all family affinities can see it at the same time, in the same stadium, for the same purposes. It makes for a great bonding not just for family members but for friends, neighbors and perhaps strangers.

Last, it is a game of skill, guts, willpower and physical abilities, all of which we hold essential for ourselves and thus in others, too.