Week 5- The Unwritten Rules of Baseball

Baseball has more unwritten rules than any other sport in America. It is considered a game of sportsmanship and respect in the eyes of many. In order to maintain this image, players follow many "unwritten" rules. Trash talk is frowned upon, flipping your bat after a home run may get you punched, and celebrating with more than a smile makes other players hate you. In other team sports such as basketball, football, and hockey, celebrating is encouraged. NFL players have pre planned routines for when they get into the end zone. When I played basketball in high school, celebrating after a big three or or and one in the fourth quarter often served as a spark for the team. I understand why baseball is not the same as the other sports when it comes to celebrating, however, I think removing the unwritten rule that excludes celebration could make the game more exciting. As stated in Barry Petchesky's "Down with Baseball's Fun Police", there is no joy, no emotion, and no fun in baseball. Throughout his article, Petchesky refers to what happens when players break the unwritten rules. It can result in fights or getting hit by a 90 mph fastball. The points in his article summarize my opinion on the issue at hand. Every sport has unwritten rules that players live by, however, baseball must ease up on theirs. When players look like they're enjoying themselves on the field, it makes watching more enjoyable. But how do we rewrite rules that aren't written in the first place? It would take a full cultural shift in the game of baseball. Many people actually enjoy the class shown by the unwritten rules of baseball, including former MLB player Doug Glanville. In his article, "Baseball's Unwritten Rules" in the New York Times, he compares the unwritten rules of baseball to those of life. Glanville values unwritten rules about safety and respect in both life and the game of baseball. Glanville's article was especially effective because not only is he a former player that is able to explain how these rules effect the league, he is a former player of color. Players of color have been discriminated against in baseball for years and there are unwritten discriminatory rules about blacks. Through the discrimination, Glanville still values the unwritten rules and the sportsmanship in baseball.

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