The 5 US Cities That Love Baseball
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Baseball truly is Americaâs favorite sport. Whether itâs young, aspiring batters or professional baseball players, youâll see people playing ball just about anywhere. But while the activity doesnât diminish based on where you live, some cities take their baseball love to the next level.
The next time youâre looking for a new place to visit, why not consider these seven US cities that love baseball more than most? And make sure you check out the latest MLB standings so you can cheer for your host city while enjoying a ball game in person. You could even place a bet or two to make your experience even more exciting. And who knows, a well-placed wager might even end up winning you some cash while youâre at it.
Boston
Boston is a heavyweight in almost any sport, and baseball is no exception. The oldest baseball stadium in America, Fenway Park, has been home to many of Bostonâs ups and downs throughout its entire baseball history.
Take Boston Red Soxâs outstanding baseball record, for example. They won five of the first fifteen World Series titles, including the first-ever World Series win in 1903. And you donât have to be a baseball fanatic to know who Babe Ruth is; he contributed three of those five World Series wins in 1915, 1916, and 1918.
And thatâs not where the story ends. Most Bostonians believed what was called the âCurse of the Bambino,â which supposedly was the cause of the Red Soxâs 86-year World Series drought. According to the lore, the curse started after the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, nicknamed âThe Bambino,â to the New York Yankees.
Fans made several attempts to âbreakâ the curse, and one even suggested exhuming Babe Ruthâs corpse and bringing it to Fenway so the team could apologize to him directly. It wasnât until 2004 that the curse was finally broken, and the entire city celebrated this historic milestone.
Chicago
Not to be outdone, Chicagoâs dedication to baseball is proven by the existence of their two teams: Cubs for the North Side and White Sox for the South Side. The cityâs baseball stadium, Wrigley Field, is another storied one, having opened in 1914.
And if you thought Bostonâs curse was bad, try the dedication of the Cubs fans. For 108 years, Chicagoans supported their hometown baseball team despite not winning anything since 1908. And when the Cubs finally won in 2016, everyone made sure the world knew that the Cubs had finally won another World Series title.
New York City
New York is practically synonymous with baseball, especially considering how wildly successful the Yankees have been throughout their history. With 27 World Series championships under their belt, along with 40 American League pennants, the Yankees are practically the most successful baseball team in MLBâs history.
Of course, letâs not forget New Yorkâs younger team, the Mets. With two World Series titles and five American League pennants, they give New Yorkers plenty to talk about aside from the Yankees.
Visit NYC during baseball season and youâd be hard-pressed not to hear Yankees or Mets talk everywhere. For a baseball fan, that kind of atmosphere is almost heavenly. Just donât be surprised if theyâre a bit critical of either teamâs performance; New Yorkers have gotten so used to winning that anything less is unacceptable.
St. Louis
If youâre looking for MLBâs most loyal and supportive fans, look no further than the St. Louis Cardinals. They consistently have over 40,000 people in the stadium watching their games, which makes for an unforgettable experience. It also helps that, depending on your seat, you might get the Gateway Arch as the stadiumâs backdrop.
The Cardinals fansâ support isnât unwarranted, either. They have had 11 World Series wins since their first one in 1926, one of which they achieved on the inaugural year of their newest stadium in 2006! And when theyâre not in the World Series, theyâre busy winning pennants and division titles, always giving their fans something to cheer for.
Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Reds may not be as prestigious as the Red Sox or the Yankees, but they have their place in baseball history. It was one of the charter members of the National League, before getting expelled and then eventually readmitted. They have five World Series titles to their name, along with ten National League pennants and other division title wins.
Their current stadium, the Great American Ball Park, is also quite a treat for visitors. The stadium features a garden area with statues of past Reds players, a rose garden honoring former Reds player Pete Rose, and a Hall of Fame Museum. They also offer quite a spectacle during home runs: fireworks, smokestacks, and mists fill the stadium.
