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Rooting for the Team

When is a spectator sport not just a spectator sport?

Strong ties unite Americans and baseball, making us more than passive onlookers. Our deep, personal connection to the game has nurtured an array of rituals and customs, from eating hot dogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jack to standing together for the seventh-inning stretch.

At the ballpark, many bring their own gloves, a symbolic identification with “teammates” on the field (and hopeful preparation for catching foul balls). Some fans wear team jerseys. Others meticulously fill out scorecards or cast All-Star ballots. We reminisce about childhood sandlots and stickball, or bond with our own kids in that coming-of-age tradition: a child’s first game of catch.

Away from the stadium, we participate by trading cards, collecting autographs, creating baseball art, and joining fan clubs. We study box scores, scrutinize statistics, and compete in fantasy leagues. By sharing in the experience, we make baseball not just the national game, but our game.

To learn more about the exhibit, select a section below:

Our National Spirit
Ideals & Injustices
Rooting for the Team
Enterprise & Opportunity
Sharing a Common Culture
Invention & Ingenuity
Weaving Myths

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