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Baseball in the United States
Overview
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of baseball in the United States. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in the U.S. for both participants and spectators and has been considered the national pastime since the late 19th century. MLB's World Series is the culmination of professional American baseball's postseason each October. It is played between the winners of MLB's two leagues, the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). Prior to the World Series, the winner of each league is determined in a best-of-seven playoff called the League Championship Series (LCS), in which one team in each league comes away with their league's pennant; the winner of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) receives the American League Pennant, and the winner of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) receives the National League Pennant. Six teams from each league compete in the postseason. After a champion is crowned from each league, the winner of the World Series is determined through a best-of-seven playoff. As baseball developed in the 19th century in the Northeastern United States, it has been played and followed in the region longer than any other sport in the nation. As of 2022, the Philadelphia Phillies, founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all professional sports in the United States and Canada. An extensive minor league baseball system covers most mid-sized cities in the United States. Minor league baseball teams are organized in a six-tier hierarchy, in which the highest teams (AAA) are in major cities that do not have a major league team but often have a major team in another sport, and each level occupies progressively smaller cities. The lowest levels of professional baseball serve primarily as development systems for the sport's most inexperienced prospects, with the absolute bottom, the rookie leagues, occupying the major league squads' spring training complexes and making no effort to earn money on their own. The World Baseball Classic, the most popular international baseball tournament for national teams, is held every four years in March. USA's national baseball team won its first championship in 2017, and lost to Japan in 2023's championship game, earning second place. Some limited independent professional baseball leagues exist in the United States, the most prominent being the Atlantic League, which occupies mostly suburban locales that are not eligible for high level minor league teams of their own. Outside the minor leagues are collegiate summer baseball leagues, which occupy towns even smaller than those at the lower end of minor league baseball and typically cannot support professional sports. Summer baseball is an amateur exercise and uses players that choose not to play for payment in order to remain eligible to play college baseball for their respective universities in the spring. Collegiate summer baseball also gives athletes the opportunity to be scouted by MLB teams. At the absolute lowest end of the organized baseball system is senior amateur baseball (also known as Town Team Baseball), which typically plays its games only on weekends.
Facts
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Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia2,537 words
WBP editorial3
Beyond the Major Leagues
While MLB draws the headlines, the real pulse of American baseball beats in its sprawling minor‑league network and independent clubs. A weekend trip through the Pacific Coast League or a night in a Midwest League town offers a glimpse of a community‑centric sport where players live in modest hotels, fans know every name, and local breweries often sponsor half‑time contests. These venues, often housed in 1930s wooden structures, retain a nostalgic ambience that contrasts sharply with the corporate sheen of stadiums like the Yankees’. For the curious traveller, catching a game in a small‑town ballpark can reveal the grassroots enthusiasm that fuels the national pastime.
Seasonal rhythms and regional quirks
Baseball’s calendar is a subtle guide to the American year. In the South, the season stretches into the humid evenings of September, while the Pacific Northwest braves early rain‑soaked games in April. Each region has its own pre‑game rituals: New England fans still bring clam chowder to Fenway’s rooftop, whereas Texas crowds are known for grilling brisket in the stands during summer heat. Aligning travel plans with these local customs lets visitors experience the sport as a living cultural calendar, rather than merely a schedule of games.