The last time baseball was absent was for 23 days in 1994, and the longest America has been without baseball was for 58 days in 1981, both the result of player strikes. Now, amidst the quarantine and national shutdown of sports due to the coronavirus, the Major League Baseball season, which was supposed to start on March 26, has been postponed for over a month and a half, with no truly clear date for it’s long awaited return.

Known as America’s Favorite Pastime, which began on June 19, 1846, baseball has been an important part of the American culture for the past 173 years. 

“Baseball represents what America was founded on, hard work and dedication,” said senior baseball player PJ Marchal.

Baseball is a game that develops valuable life lessons throughout childhood and with the sport being a part of society for so long, people take notice when it’s missing.

“People are missing sports a lot right now because it’s something special to a lot of people. Sports give us something to talk about and enjoy and we don’t have any of that right now,” said senior baseball player Nick Sackrider. “The absence of baseball is bringing the country down, things just haven’t been the same. Baseball takes me away from normal life to enjoy my time with the game. It’s an escape for a lot of people.”

Aside from hitting game winning home runs and making incredible defensive plays, there is so much more about baseball that America is missing during these unprecedented times. Lifelong memories are made going to watch your favorite team at the ballpark with family and friends, and rooting your team on to victory while eating a delicious hot dog. Getting home from a long day of work, turning on the big game, and eating some ice cream on the couch while occasionally yelling at your television screen is another way to enjoy baseball that people are missing. Or simply the joy of getting a hit in your first tee-ball game.

“Baseball connects so many Americans and is much more than just a game to many people. Americans are missing that right now, especially with everything else going on in the world, and baseball and all other sports would be an opportunity to bring everyone together during this tough time,” Marchal said.

Since the worldwide coronavirus pandemic started, things have been anything but normal, and for many this time has been very dark and dreadful. People experiencing these troubling emotions are in need of some healing, and baseball and other sports are a form of healing for some people. Whether it was bringing the country together after 9/11 or World War II, baseball has helped heal the country in it’s darkest times, and America is truly missing this right now.

“I think people are missing baseball and other sports so much right now because sports have always been there. Through other tragedies and rough times, people have used sports as a way to get away from all the chaos. Sports have also been a way to bring everyone together,” said senior baseball player Nathan Oliger.

For those that have put so much time and effort into what was supposed to be their final season of baseball, it’s one of the toughest pills to swallow. Senior baseball players will miss out on being a leader, sharing final memories, and seeing the proper end to a sport they love. When thinking about what could’ve been their best season that never happened, Cooper Coleman, Marchal, and Oliger all said, “It sucks.”

With the heartbreak that comes with not having the closure of a final baseball season, there is still good that can come out of the situation. The great game of baseball teaches valuable life lessons through it’s gratifying yet tough nature.

“Missing out on my senior season has really made me think of all the great times I’ve had with KBB and how much I’ll miss it. We have created such a bond over the last four years and it’s something I won’t forget,” Sackrider said. “What I will take away is the mentality the game has given to me, to always put everything you have into the sport. I will carry that on with whatever comes along in my life.