Why I Love Sports

(The following was written by Russia alum and University of Dayton sophomore Corrina Francis after Game 7 of the World Series on Wednesday night. Corrina was kind enough to share it with Fish Report.)

As I sit here at 1:10 AM, I should be studying for an economics test I have tomorrow, or more likely, sleeping. But I’m afraid sleep would elude me after such an incredible Game 7.

The Chicago Cubs have won the World Series. Some people have gone a lifetime without ever such a statement being made. 108 years to be exact.

Now I am by no means a Cubs fan. Rather, a Reds fan, so quite the opposite. But I am a sports fan and a baseball fan and that game 7 epitomizes everything I love about the game of baseball.

From a leadoff homerun, a homerun by a 39-year-old backup catcher, the Indians improbable comeback off Aroldis Chapman, a rain delay, and finally a game winning hit by Ben Zobrist in the 10th inning. This game was such a roller-coaster of emotions (or rather glass case of emotions), and I didn’t even have a strong rooting interest!

The on-field celebration was awesome to watch and I was taken aback by how humble the players were. Just watching the raw emotion of the players was so fun, and I couldn’t help but smile along with them. It was like they didn’t even believe what had just happened. Every player interviewed seemed to be in awe that they were at last world champions.

I was able to find a livestream of Wrigley Field. You could see the tension on the faces of the fans, just hoping against all hope that the Cubbies could record those final three outs in the bottom of the 10th. So much was at stake. A 4 hour 45 minute game, a 7 game series, and the Cubs best season in over 100 years would all be for naught if they didn’t win. More than that, 108 years of losing was looming.

I was watching the livestream when the final out of the game was recorded. It was pure madness. To anyone who could appreciate it, the scene was actually kind of beautiful. Strangers were hugging strangers. Fathers were sharing a special moment with their son. A man was kissing his wife because his favorite baseball team had finally the World Series after 108 years. And of course, all of Chicago was singing, in unison, “Go, Cubs, Go!”

It was cool to see a group of people so united. In a time when politicians and protests seem to be dictating the direction of social discourse in the country, it is impossible to see so many people passionate about a good cause and be so united. Any given Cubs fan didn’t care if the fan next to him was black or white, Republican or Democrat, Christian or Jewish or Muslim. All he cared was that he was a Cubs fan and the Cubs had won the World Series.

I love the game of baseball. I love diving catches, extra innings, homeruns, and comebacks as much as the next person. But I think what I really love about baseball and sports is the uniting power. It’s ability to bring people of all backgrounds together with a passion and unite them for a common cause.

As lame as it sounds, when watching the post-game coverage, I felt a tear run down my face. I could just feel that I was witnessing something special. And I realized, this is why I love sports.