Number of American kids playing baseball fell 24% over the past decade

[renaissance]

nah I'm not mad. Just don't understand the joke

[Tweedr01]

nah I'm not mad. Just don't understand the joke

well if you find your way to virginia, please drive by the home depot/lowes/7-11, just don't bring a truck as you may have 4 guys try to hop in the back who are currently unemployed

[pjfootballer]

I don't get the drop in popularity of baseball either, except for possibly a few of the reasons already mentioned. It is not a sport that is conducive to playing pick-up (like basketball, football and soccer), but even when I was younger most of us didn't play it pick-up. There just are way more choices now for sports compared to 20-30 years ago, so it's only natural that a sport that owned spring now is competing with soccer, lacrosse and even basketball for players.

PF

We didn't have enough kids in my neighborhood to play 9 on 9 baseball. Basketball, Football, Soccer and even Roller Hockey were easier. We had maybe 8 to 10 kids in the whole neighborhood when everyone was available to play.

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 11:41 AM ----------

I think the point is that you can play baseball-esque pick-up games, but it's tough to play a true pick-up game of baseball. It's not all that easy to walk onto a public baseball diamond and bring a bunch of friends (18??) to play. People can play games that revolve around baseball in their front yards or in open fields (home run derby, wiffle ball, pepper, pickle, etc.). But, you can play a modified game of football and a real game of basketball pretty easily.

Still...people playing those baseball-like games are still playing baseball for all intents and purposes, so it should count in my opinion.

When we did play baseball, we had a pitcher and 2 or 3 outfielders. Anything in the infield was an out. Anything in front of the outfielders was a single, anything over their heads was a double, hit the fence was a triple and of course over the fence was a HR. If we played 3 on 3, we'd have a pitcher and 2 outfielders and anything in right field was an out.

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 11:43 AM ----------

i know it's early but geez, lighten up francis

Since she's a girl, I'd say "lighten up Frances."

[Tweedr01]

Since she's a girl, I'd say "lighten up Frances."

you know i always forget that, lol, i have it easy with the others because they go by girl names ldyskns, missu, uh, oh yeah, blondie...renaissance always gets me! for some reason i think of patten oswalt off of reno 911 at the renaissance fair, lol

[TD_washingtonredskins]

When we did play baseball, we had a pitcher and 2 or 3 outfielders. Anything in the infield was an out. Anything in front of the outfielders was a single, anything over their heads was a double, hit the fence was a triple and of course over the fence was a HR. If we played 3 on 3, we'd have a pitcher and 2 outfielders and anything in right field was an out.

Exactly...that's just as close to baseball as 4 on 4 touch football in the street is to football.

[Busch1724]

Kids don't go outside to play anymore, or not nearly as much. You don't get neighborhoods anymore with a dozen kids getting together to play outside like years ago. We used to have neighborhood football games, baseball games, soccer games, etc. There are various reasons for it not happening anymore like not trusting neighbors, video games, Internet surfing, etc., but unless it's an organized sport kids don't play and practice anymore. So it affects baseball because the other sports are more fun in kids' eyes to play.

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 12:36 PM ----------

So they don't get exposed to baseball like years ago. Throw that in with a reduction in the televesion interest of baseball and voila, less kids want to play it.

---------- Post added April-8th-2011 at 12:36 PM ----------

So they don't get exposed to baseball like years ago. Throw that in with a reduction in the televesion interest of baseball and voila, less kids want to play it.

[Warhead36]

Kids don't go outside to play anymore, or not nearly as much. You don't get neighborhoods anymore with a dozen kids getting together to play outside like years ago. We used to have neighborhood football games, baseball games, soccer games, etc. There are various reasons for it not happening anymore like not trusting neighbors, video games, Internet surfing, etc., but unless it's an organized sport kids don't play and practice anymore. So it affects baseball because the other sports are more fun in kids' eyes to play.

Yep, I remember when I was growing up we'd have kids outside playing basketball or soccer almost every day(in good weather anyway). Now when I drive around or whatever I never see anyone outside. Such a shame. And parents want to know why their kids are fat and lazy...

[kubstix]

If I ever can't sleep by any reason whatsoever, I just turn on a Baseball game. I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes.

[Bubble Screen]

you're almost right but the equation is actually:

every sport > soccer

sorry about that

Damn man, you and I actually agree on something.

---------- Post added April-9th-2011 at 01:37 AM ----------

If I ever can't sleep by any reason whatsoever, I just turn on a soccer game. I'm usually asleep within 5 minutes.

That works for me, too.