Invented by Alexander Cartwright in 1845, baseball has been one of the most popular sports worldwide for almost 200 years. Big cities and small towns worldwide celebrate baseball. These are some towns that recognize its importance and celebrate it.
Holloway, Ohio, in Belmont Country, has one of the best annual celebrations of baseball in the world. For seventy years, on the last weekend of August, Holloway has had a massive party celebrating baseball. The party includes food, karaoke, a DJ, a car show, and a horse tournament. Baseball is ingrained in this community and this party has become the most prominent event that this town throws, garnering national media attention.
In the Summer of 2024, the Tokyo Dome hosted a baseball festival. With the rise of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Japanese players succeeding in the MLB, baseball has become the most popular sport in Japan. Fans were treated to a thrilling NPB match-up at the festival, the Softbank Hawks against the Golden Eagles. This festival highlights three features of baseball: inclusion, sustainability, and technology. At the festival, there were games that fans could play to understand the game better. As we continue to educate people about the history and athleticism around baseball, fans grow a greater appreciation for the sport we love.
After winning the Premier12, Chinese Taipei had a massive celebration, welcoming their athletes back home. Thousands of fans waited at the airport in anticipation for their team to arrive home. Upon arriving, the players were greeted with chants and cheers, demonstrating how much this moment meant to the Chinese Taipei residents. The party continued in downtown Taiwan, where there was a victory parade where the players were celebrated throughout the day and through the night.
Clearly, baseball is seen as far more than just a sport across the world. Baseball brings people together and gives them a reason to cheer and be happy, even when things around them may not be as exciting or positive. As baseball continues to grow internationally, it is reasonable to assume that we will see more celebrations and festivals like the ones listed in different areas around the world.
