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Baseball in the United States

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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.

Wikivoyage guide · 34 sections

▸Introduction1,181 chars

Baseball has been considered America's pastime for over a century and today remains one of the biggest sports in the country. Baseball is played at a number of amateur levels, from Little League to High School to College, and professional leagues range from the lowest Minor Leagues to Major League Baseball. In almost any place in America, there will be a baseball game going on during the spring and summer months, and watching it is a fantastic way to meet the locals and experience American sports culture. It has also left a huge impact on American English, with numerous baseball terms such as "hit a home run", "hit the ball out of the park" and "touch base" frequently used as metaphors even by people who are not baseball fans.

For those who love both baseball and travel, it's a natural fit to combine the two. If there is a place in the country where you've never been and want to visit, you can combine it with when your team is also there. There is something thrilling with watching your team on the road.

Many baseball fans have the desire to visit every park in the Major Leagues. It can be a wonderful experience to tick them off one by one with family or friends.

▸Understand56 chars

For information on how the game is played, see Baseball.

▸Major League Baseball2,087 chars

Major League Baseball (MLB) (also known as majors or bigs) is the highest level of baseball played in the U.S. and the richest professional baseball league in the world. It attracts the highest level of talent from North America, Central America, South America, East Asia, and the Caribbean. There are 30 major-league teams in 25 U.S. metropolitan areas (plus one in Canada); New York City, Chicago, and the Los Angeles area have two teams each. Through the 2024 season, the San Francisco Bay Area also had two teams, but the Oakland Athletics moved to Sacramento and will play there for three seasons until their permanent ballpark opens in Las Vegas. Every team plays in its own stadium, with all teams but the Athletics having a capacity of at least 35,000. The A's are playing in a minor-league ballpark in West Sacramento while their permanent Las Vegas stadium is being built.

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

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.

More in cities0

▸Teams1,474 chars

Major League Baseball is divided into two leagues: the American League and the National League, each of which is further divided into three divisions: East, Central, and West. The American and National League used to be separate entities: the American League successfully challenged the established National League at the turn of the 20th century and was sometimes referred to as the "Junior Circuit". For most of Major League Baseball's history, teams from the two leagues only met in the World Series at the end of each season. However, the distinctions between the leagues have been erased more and more. Teams of the different leagues face now each other several times throughout the season. The mystique has been removed from the competition between teams as representatives of their league or from the All-Star Game which is still organized based on league.

Before 2022, the main distinction between the two leagues was that the designated hitter was used only in the American League; the National League required pitchers to bat along with the other fielders. In games that involved teams from both leagues (called "interleague" games), the home team's rules were used. The NL used the DH in the abbreviated COVID-19 season of 2020, but returned to its non-use in 2021. As part of the settlement of a labor dispute in the 2021–22 off season, the DH was made a permanent feature in the National League.

Here is a rundown of all the teams and their respective stadiums:

▸American League East3,285 chars

Baltimore Orioles – Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore, Maryland (in South Baltimore). Opening in 1992, Camden Yards is notable for being the first of the "retro" ballparks in the major leagues: modern stadiums whose designs hearken back to classic, early-20th century ballparks. The success of Camden Yards sparked a wave of new ballpark construction across the country, but it's still regarded as one of the best. Nearby is the Babe Ruth Museum, preserving the house where the Great Bambino himself was born. The "O's" have very enthusiastic fans, who are known for yelling out the "O!" in the penultimate line of the national anthem.

Boston Red Sox – Fenway Park – Boston, Massachusetts (in Fenway). The oldest active ballpark in the major leagues, Fenway Park opened in 1912 and is a celebrated stadium that has acquired certain quirks which are legendary among baseball fans. The most noted of these is the Green Monster, a particularly tall section of the left field wall that's, of course, painted green. The ballpark is relatively small by major league standards, tucked into an urban neighborhood of restaurants, taverns, and souvenir stores. Boston's famously rowdy fans (the "Red Sox Nation") are fiercely loyal to their team and their rivalry with the Yankees is legendary, ranking as among the most intense in American sports.

New York Yankees – Yankee Stadium – New York City, New York (in the Bronx). Though not "The House That Ruth Built" stadium of old (which was replaced by a city park), the design of the new Yankee Stadium just across the street pays homage to the original in its design, both inside and out. An on-site museum covers the history of one of the most storied teams in baseball, and Monument Park in center field contains plaques dedicated to great players from the team's past. The Yankees are noted (and often vilified) for their frequent postseason appearances, with their record 27 championships unmatched in North American professional sports.

Tampa Bay Rays – Tropicana Field – Tampa, Florida (in Saint Petersburg). After struggling as an expansion team, the Rays managed to rise to be a competitive force in the fierce American League East. Their normal home is the uninspiring Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the only ballpark in MLB with a fixed dome roof and one of only four to still use artificial turf on the field instead of actual grass. On-site is a museum dedicated to Red Sox legend Ted Williams, who retired to the Tampa area, with exhibits and memorabilia on some of the best hitters in baseball history. Another highlight is a touch tank beyond the right-center field wall, where fans can touch and feed live stingrays. However, after the stadium's roof was torn off by Hurricane Milton in October 2024, the Rays temporarily played in the ballpark of one of the Yankees' farm teams. Tropicana Field is expected to reopen in time for the 2026 season.

Toronto Blue Jays – Rogers Centre – Toronto, Ontario (in the Entertainment District), Canada. The only MLB team playing in Canada, the Blue Jays play in Rogers Centre, a massive stadium with a retractable roof (to protect against the colder Toronto weather) that sits in the shadow of the iconic CN Tower. Within the stadium is a hotel with rooms that overlook the field.

▸American League Central2,198 chars

Chicago White Sox – Rate Field – Chicago, Illinois (in Bridgeport). The White Sox play on the South Side of town in Rate Field, commonly known as Comiskey Park (the name of the old White Sox ballpark). While the stadium lacks the charm of its crosstown National League rival, tickets here are easier to get and the fans are no less loyal. There are a couple of unique features that are carry-overs from the old stadium: one is a shower and a pair of "rain rooms" for fans to cool off on hot days, and the other is the "exploding" scoreboard with its distinctive pinwheel signs that light up and shoot off fireworks when the White Sox hit a home run.

Cleveland Guardians – Progressive Field – Cleveland, Ohio (in Downtown). Known as the Cleveland Indians until 2021. Widely regarded as one of the better ballparks in the league, Progressive Field was a more modern take on the "retro" ballpark design when it was constructed. The interior offers a splendid view of the Cleveland skyline.

Detroit Tigers – Comerica Park – Detroit, Michigan (in Downtown). Adjacent to Detroit's theater district, the Tigers' stadium has a number of interesting features, notably excellent views of Downtown Detroit, statues of tigers which growl after a Tiger home run, a fountain behind center field, and plenty of tributes to one of baseball's oldest and most storied teams, including statues of former Tiger greats such as Willie Horton, Hank Greenberg, and Ty Cobb.

Kansas City Royals – Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals have heated up lately; after going nearly thirty years without a playoff appearance, they staged a stunning World Series run in 2014 and were crowned champions in 2015, much to the joy of their fans. They play in Kauffman Stadium on the edge of the city, one of the few remaining examples of 1960s-era modernist stadiums and still one of the best examples of modernist stadium design, with a fountain beyond the right field wall that sends jets of water high into the air.

Minnesota Twins – Target Field – Minneapolis, Minnesota (in Downtown). The Twins play in Target Field, a marvelous ballpark with plenty of amenities for fans and splendid views of Downtown Minneapolis.

▸American League West3,919 chars

Athletics – Sutter Health Park – West Sacramento, California. A regular contender for the playoffs, the A's are now in the middle of a two-stage move from Oakland to Las Vegas. From 1968 to 2024, the A's played in the Oakland Coliseum, the last of the multi-purpose "cookie-cutter" stadiums built in the 1960s remaining in the major leagues (the NFL Oakland Raiders played here before their 2020 move to Vegas). With the A's lease on the Coliseum having expired at the end of the 2024 season, and plans for a new stadium in Oakland having fallen into development hell, the team is now preparing to build a new ballpark near the Las Vegas Strip. Before the new park opens, which is scheduled for 2028, the A's will play in a minor-league ballpark. (During the team's tenure in Sacramento, it will not use a geographic identifier.)

Houston Astros – Daikin Park – Houston, Texas (in Downtown). Members of the National League for their first 50 seasons, the Astros moved to the American League with the start of the 2013 season, and won their first World Series in 2017 and added a second in 2022. However, the 2017 victory and their 2019 World Series appearance were tainted after it was revealed that the team was illegally using technology to steal pitching signs, and the Astros were the most reviled team in MLB by far for several years. Their stadium is full of bells and whistles, with an entrance through what was once a train station, a retractable roof that protects fans from Houston's humid weather, various oddities in the design of the outfield fence, and a miniature train that moves along the exterior wall past left field whenever the Astros hit a home run.

Los Angeles Angels – Angel Stadium of Anaheim – Anaheim, California. For many years, the Angels were a running joke in baseball, even inspiring a film by their then-owners Disney about their misfortune on the field. A World Series victory in 2002 turned the team's fortunes around for a time, and they were frequent contenders for the playoffs into the 2010s. However, the Angels have since fallen on hard times, having finished with a losing record in every season since 2016 despite the presence of two of the game's biggest names in outfielder Mike Trout and in 2018 Japanese two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (who left for the LA area's other team, the Dodgers, as a free agent after the 2023 season). Their stadium is most noteworthy for the giant haloed "A" that stands in the parking lot as well as sitting within spitting distance of Disneyland. If you're lucky enough to witness an Angel home run, geysers and fireworks erupt out of a small mountainside beyond left field.

Seattle Mariners – T-Mobile Park – Seattle, Washington (in Sodo). Built on former industrial land south of Pioneer Square (and indeed, there's still quite a bit of industry in the neighborhood), the modern retro-style T-Mobile Park (renamed from Safeco Field in 2019) has some interesting features, including a retractable roof to protect against the regular Seattle rain and quite possibly the best selection of food of any ballpark in the country. As of 2025, the Mariners are the only MLB team that has not appeared in the World Series.

Texas Rangers – Globe Life Field – Arlington, Texas. In the early 2010s the Rangers emerged as a competitive force in the American League, but fell into a serious dry spell, with six consecutive losing seasons, before making the 2023 postseason as a wild card and going all the way to their first-ever World Series win. They opened the 2020 season in the new Globe Life Field, directly across the street from their former home of Choctaw Stadium, with both lying roughly between the Dallas Cowboys' stadium and a Six Flags theme park. The new park has a thoroughly modern retractable roof and air conditioning, but otherwise is much like their old park—a retro-style ballpark with plenty of nods to the classic ballparks of old.

▸National League East3,594 chars

Atlanta Braves – Truist Park – Cumberland, Georgia (just outside Atlanta). The Braves are one of the most prominent franchises in baseball, owing in large part to the national coverage that used to be given by the locally headquartered TBS network. Braves fans are known for their use of the "Tomahawk Chop," a war chant accompanied by a rhythmic "chopping" motion made by the arm. The team plays in one of MLB's newest parks, opened for the 2017 season as SunTrust Park, and renamed in 2020. Besides the typical bells and whistles of a 21st-century ballpark, fans seated behind home plate are treated to views of the Atlanta skyline.

Miami Marlins – LoanDepot Park – Miami, Florida (in Little Havana). One of the newest stadiums in baseball, LoanDepot Park (originally Marlins Park) was the first new ballpark to buck the retro trend since Camden Yards started it in the first place. It switched from grass to artificial turf in 2020. LoanDepot Park is a thoroughly contemporary structure of glass and steel, with a retractable roof and air conditioning offering relief from the humid weather, a nightclub and a swimming pool beyond the outfield (although you have to pay to be in a special section to use it), a bobblehead museum, and colorful art elements throughout. The stadium sits in Little Havana, a Latin American neighborhood with plenty of local shops and restaurants.

New York Mets – Citi Field – New York City, New York (in Flushing, Queens). Standing in marked contrast to the crosstown Yankees, the Mets have always had a hard go of it, but the faithful continue to turn out to cheer on their lovable underdogs. Current owner Steve Cohen has opened his checkbook to try to buy a contender, most notably signing young superstar outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract in the 2024–25 offseason. They play in a fairly new ballpark with a facade that pays homage to Ebbets Field, the classic ballpark that was once home to the Brooklyn Dodgers. If the Mets hit a homer, look for the Home Run Apple, a huge apple that rises out of the center field wall. The Mets are also known for what may be the most popular mascot in baseball, Mr. Met, a man with a baseball for a head. Citi Field sits adjacent to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, with its museums and the famous Unisphere.

Philadelphia Phillies – Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (in South Philly). The oldest single-city team in baseball, the Phillies have overcome their long championship drought to become a competitive force in the NL East, with a losing World Series appearance in 2022. Citizens Bank Park is a beloved retro-style park, with features like a sign in the shape of the Liberty Bell that lights up and "rings" after a Phillies home run and Ashburn Alley, a promenade beyond center field that holds restaurants and memorabilia from Phillies history. The Phillies also have one of the most popular (and strangest) mascots in baseball, the Phillie Phanatic, a big, furry, green creature who engages in various antics on the field.

Washington Nationals – Nationals Park – Washington, D.C. (on the Waterfront). The newest team in the major leagues (i.e., in their current location, though not the newest franchise—they were founded as the Montreal Expos), the Nationals are the latest incarnation of professional baseball in D.C. and have quickly proven to be a favorite of the locals. Their ballpark sits on the south side of town in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood near the Navy Yard. The Nats won the World Series in their only appearance (for both sides of the franchise) in 2019.

▸National League Central2,613 chars

Chicago Cubs – Wrigley Field – Chicago, Illinois (in Lakeview). Few teams can claim the storied history or agony of defeat that the Cubs can, but the curse has come to an end: after going over a hundred years without a championship and not even an appearance in the World Series since 1945, the Cubs finally won the championship in 2016. But win or lose, a game at Wrigley Field is undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences in baseball and has been celebrated in many films. The ballpark, one of only two remaining classic ballparks (the other being Fenway Park), is renowned and beloved for its many unique features, from its bright red marquee sign out front, to the ivy-covered outfield walls, to the rooftop seats atop the buildings across the street, and to the surrounding neighborhood which embraces game day to the fullest.

Cincinnati Reds – Great American Ball Park – Cincinnati, Ohio. The oldest professional team in baseball, the "Big Red Machine" (a nickname earned due to their powerful hitting lineup in the 1970s) have long been entertaining their loyal fans. The Reds' riverfront ballpark is full of nods to the history of the team, including the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and an extensive museum.

Milwaukee Brewers – American Family Field – Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee faithful pour into American Family Field, until 2020 known as Miller Park, which sports a fan-shaped retractable roof and plenty of nods to the city's brewing heritage. A highlight is the "Sausage Race" during the 6th inning, when a group of sausage mascots race around the field. Another mascot, Bernie Brewer, slides down a plastic yellow slide beyond left field after every Brewer home run.

Pittsburgh Pirates – PNC Park – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (on the North Side). The Pirates have had a hard go of it over the last couple of decades, but lately the "Buccos" have found new life, ending a 20-year string of losing seasons with a playoff berth in 2013 and proving strong competitors since. Their stadium is widely considered one of the best in the major leagues, sitting on the city's superb riverfront with a breathtaking view of the Pittsburgh skyline.

St. Louis Cardinals – Busch Stadium – St. Louis, Missouri. A regular feature in the playoffs, the Cardinals command a huge and enthusiastic fanbase in this diehard sports town. They play on the south side of the city's downtown, with an excellent view of the skyline with its famed Gateway Arch. An impressive hall of fame for the Cardinals is on-site, a testament to the winningest team in the National League (in terms of World Series championships).

▸National League West2,869 chars

Arizona Diamondbacks – Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona. Despite their short history, the Diamondbacks have proved to be a surprisingly strong team in the NL West. Chase Field sports a retractable roof, air conditioning and even a swimming pool beyond the center-right field wall (although the pool is only accessible as part of a luxury suite), must-haves in the blazing Phoenix heat. It switched from grass to artificial turf in 2019.

Colorado Rockies – Coors Field – Denver, Colorado. Widely regarded as one of the best ballparks in the major leagues, Coors Field is a retro-style ballpark that has earned a reputation as a home run-friendly park, owing in large part to the dry air and high altitude. The ballpark sits on the edge of the LoDo neighborhood of Downtown Denver, popular for its restaurants and bars as well as the home of the National Ballpark Museum, with a fantastic collection of artifacts from many classic ballparks.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, California (in Elysian Park). The Dodgers are one of the most famous and successful baseball teams of all time, with a long history in Los Angeles since their move here from Brooklyn in the 1950s. Their ballpark, carved out of a hill north of Downtown L.A., is the largest baseball stadium in the world by seating capacity and has earned a reputation as a pitcher's park, and is also perhaps the best remaining example of the modernist stadiums built in the 1960s. After the Dodgers spent more than $1 billion on free agents in the 2023–24 offseason, most notably signing Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract, they became at least as hated by rival fans as the Astros. That spending has so far paid off with a World Series win in 2024.

San Diego Padres – Petco Park – San Diego, California (in Downtown). Sandwiched into Downtown San Diego near the harborfront and the historic Gaslamp Quarter district, Petco Park has a number of unique elements, including a historic brick warehouse incorporated into the left-field seats and a grassy lawn beyond the center field wall that's open as a public park on non-game days. The stadium has gained a distinction as the most pitcher-friendly park in the major leagues, due to the dense, humid air along the nearby coast.

San Francisco Giants – Oracle Park – San Francisco, California (in SoMa). One of the oldest teams in baseball, having played in New York prior to their move to California in the 1950s, the Giants play in Oracle Park (renamed from AT&T Park in 2019), a popular retro-style ballpark looking out on the bay. A small cove next to the park is the frequent target of home runs, which makes it popular for kayakers hoping to snag a souvenir. The Giants haven't always had an easy time of it since moving to San Francisco, but a trio of recent World Series victories have made them a force to be reckoned with.

▸Cactus League750 chars

Arizona Diamondbacks – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick – Scottsdale

Athletics – Hohokam Stadium – Mesa

Chicago Cubs – Sloan Park – Mesa

Chicago White Sox – Camelback Ranch – Glendale

Cincinnati Reds – Goodyear Ballpark – Goodyear

Cleveland Guardians – Goodyear Ballpark – Goodyear

Colorado Rockies – Salt River Fields at Talking Stick – Scottsdale

Kansas City Royals – Surprise Stadium – Surprise

Los Angeles Angels – Tempe Diablo Stadium – Tempe

Los Angeles Dodgers – Camelback Ranch – Glendale

Milwaukee Brewers – Maryvale Baseball Park – Phoenix

San Diego Padres – Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria

San Francisco Giants – Scottsdale Stadium – Scottsdale

Seattle Mariners – Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria

Texas Rangers – Surprise Stadium – Surprise

▸Grapefruit League774 chars

Atlanta Braves – CoolToday Park – Venice

Baltimore Orioles – Ed Smith Stadium – Sarasota

Boston Red Sox – JetBlue Park at Fenway South – Fort Myers

Detroit Tigers – Joker Marchant Stadium – Lakeland

Houston Astros – The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches – West Palm Beach

Miami Marlins – Roger Dean Stadium – Jupiter

Minnesota Twins – Hammond Stadium – Fort Myers

New York Mets – Tradition Field – Port St. Lucie

New York Yankees – Steinbrenner Field – Tampa

Philadelphia Phillies – Baycare Ballpark – Clearwater

Pittsburgh Pirates – LECOM Park – Bradenton

St. Louis Cardinals – Roger Dean Stadium – Jupiter

Tampa Bay Rays – Charlotte Sports Park – Port Charlotte

Toronto Blue Jays – TD Ballpark – Dunedin

Washington Nationals – The Ballpark of The Palm Beaches – West Palm Beach

▸Get in2,191 chars

For most of the existence of professional Baseball, rail was the main mode of travel for fans and teams alike to get to road games. With the move of the Dodgers and the Giants from their erstwhile New York homes to the West Coast in the fifties, most teams switched to air travel as their primary mode of transport and fans visiting road games eventually followed suit. Details for getting into each city are in the individual city articles. All major league teams are in major cities, with excellent air and road access. In some parts of the country it is possible—with careful planning—to hop from city to city and see multiple stadiums in the course of several days. This is easiest on the Eastern Seaboard (Boston/New York City/Philadelphia/Baltimore/Washington, D.C.) with convenient road and rail access and relatively short distances between cities. With a car, this can also easily be done in the Midwest (Pittsburgh/Cincinnati/Cleveland/Detroit/Toronto or Minneapolis/Milwaukee/Chicago/St. Louis) or California (San Diego/Anaheim/Los Angeles/Oakland/San Francisco). Outside these areas, however, the distances between cities are simply too great to make this feasible except by airplane.

Most stadiums are served by some sort of mass transit, such as a bus, subway, light rail or heavy rail. The mass transit getting to a game is typically quite crowded.

Parking and accessibility varies considerably between ballparks. In general, stadiums in cities in the Northeast and in the Midwest will see heavy traffic and limited, expensive parking, while those in the South and the West will have ample parking, though there are exceptions to this. All stadiums charge for parking, generally in the range of $10-$25 depending on the individual stadium and how close you park to the ballpark, with certain high-demand teams charging more.

For the most part, all stadiums have made a strong attempt to provide enough parking, but in a few cases—namely Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Toronto and San Francisco—parking is such a challenge that it's preferable to use the local mass transit systems, which are well-developed in these cities and do a good job serving games.

▸Minor League Baseball2,072 chars

Minor League Baseball is the general name for a group of developmental leagues operated by major league teams for younger players who have not yet developed the skills to play in the major leagues. Almost all small to mid-sized cities in America will have a minor league team of some sort, as does Vancouver, Canada. It's considered a very affordable and fun alternative to higher priced major league games. The leagues are organized in a system based on the level of talent. The Triple-A level is the highest, dropping to Low-A and then to the Rookie level. Minor League Baseball operates from late March to late September, though lower levels may only play from early May until late July. The minor leagues are praised for being fan-friendly and cost-efficient for families.

Tickets generally cost between $7 and $15 each, with special promotions sometimes lowering that price. At almost all stadiums, it is possible to purchase tickets at the gate, but some higher level teams sell out ahead of time. Parking will either be free or available for a small fee, and because these are smaller cities, mass transit will usually be sparse or non-existent. Food is priced similarly to major league stadiums and generally the same things are available, although variety decreases dramatically below the Triple-A level.

After the 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Major League Baseball completed a takeover and reorganization of the affiliated minor leagues that began prior to the pandemic. Entering 2021, the number of affiliated clubs was reduced to exactly 120 teams: each of the 30 major league clubs now has one affiliate at each of the four levels (Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Low-A). Attempts were also made to keep farm teams within driving distance of their affiliates. These changes resulted in some teams (especially in the smallest markets) being eliminated or forced to find unaffiliated leagues. Other teams changed classifications. But most minor league teams survived, albeit in many cases with new major-league affiliates.

▸Leagues2,518 chars

Triple-A, or Class AAA, covers most of the largest metropolitan areas without Major League Baseball franchises, as well as some smaller cities.

International League

Buffalo Bisons, Charlotte Knights, Columbus Clippers, Durham Bulls, Gwinnett Stripers (Lawrenceville), Indianapolis Indians, Iowa Cubs (Des Moines), Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Allentown), Louisville Bats, Memphis Redbirds, Nashville Sounds, Norfolk Tides, Omaha Storm Chasers, Rochester Red Wings, Saint Paul Saints, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Syracuse Mets, Toledo Mud Hens, and Worcester Red Sox.

Pacific Coast League

Albuquerque Isotopes, El Paso Chihuahuas, Las Vegas Aviators, Oklahoma City Comets, Reno Aces, Round Rock Express, Sacramento River Cats, Salt Lake Bees, Sugar Land Space Cowboys, and Tacoma Rainiers

Double-A, or Class AA, teams can be found in many mid-sized cities.

Eastern League

Akron RubberDucks, Altoona Curve, Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Chesapeake Baysox (Bowie), Erie SeaWolves, Harrisburg Senators, Hartford Yard Goats, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Manchester), Portland Sea Dogs, Reading Fightin Phils, Richmond Flying Squirrels, and Somerset Patriots.

Southern League

Biloxi Shuckers, Birmingham Barons, Chattanooga Lookouts, Columbus Clingstones, Knoxville Smokies, Montgomery Biscuits, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and Rocket City Trash Pandas (Madison, Alabama, near Huntsville).

Texas League

Amarillo Sod Poodles, Arkansas Travelers (North Little Rock), Corpus Christi Hooks, Frisco RoughRiders, Midland RockHounds, Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Springdale), Springfield Cardinals, San Antonio Missions, Tulsa Drillers, and Wichita Wind Surge

Single-A, or Class A, teams can be found in many small cities, as well as mid-sized cities near larger cities already served by higher level teams.

High-A leagues: Midwest League (Cedar Rapids, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Peoria, etc.), South Atlantic (Asheville, Brooklyn, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, etc.), and Northwest League (Boise, Eugene, Spokane, Vancouver, etc.).

Low-A leagues: Carolina League (Augusta, Charleston, SC, Fredericksburg, Myrtle Beach, etc.), Florida State League (Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Tampa, etc.), and California League (Fresno, San Bernardino, San Jose, Stockton, etc.).

Rookie Level teams play in the spring training complexes of their parent teams. Admission is not charged, and concessions are not sold. Major league clubs are allowed to field more than one team at this level.

Arizona Complex League

Florida Complex League

▸National Alliance of College Summer Baseball1,222 chars

These are NCAA-sanctioned summer baseball leagues, partially funded by Major League Baseball, drawing from college-age players. A high percentage of drafted players come from these leagues.

Cape Cod Baseball League, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Over 110 years of history. One in seven Major League Baseball players played in this league.

Central Illinois Collegiate League, Illinois.

Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

New York Collegiate Baseball League, New York.

Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.

Southern Collegiate Baseball League.

Valley Baseball League, Virginia.

Florida Collegiate Summer League, Florida.

Coastal Plain League, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Though it's not an NACSB-sponsored league, the Alaska Baseball League is a collegiate summer league that's worthy of special note as the host of the Midnight Sun Game, an experience that's unique in the sport of baseball—it's played on the summer solstice in the midnight sun, beginning around 11PM, at Growden Memorial Park in Fairbanks, the northernmost baseball stadium in the world. The ABL boasts over a century of history and such famous alumni as Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Mark McGwire.

▸Softball2,805 chars

Softball is a game similar to baseball with two variants — "fast-pitch" and "slow-pitch", referring to the speed at which the ball is allowed to be pitched. The two variants also differ in team sizes — the fielding team in fast-pitch has 9 players, while the fielding team in slow-pitch usually has 10 players. Fast-pitch is most commonly played by women, and is a widely popular competitive women's sport in high schools and colleges/universities, with some professional leagues and a well-developed structure for international play. Men's fast-pitch, by contrast, is extremely obscure. Slow-pitch is more often seen as a recreational sport (though high-level leagues do exist); unlike fast-pitch, it's frequently played by men. Many local slow-pitch leagues have coed divisions, with all teams required to have a batting order evenly split and alternating between the sexes.

The most noticeable difference is that softball uses an underarm pitch, in contrast to the overarm pitch that is used in baseball. In slow-pitch, the pitch is required to be lobbed toward home plate, with the minimum arc (and usually the maximum arc) regulated. Fast-pitch has no restrictions on the arc of the pitch. Softball also typically uses a larger ball and thinner bat than baseball, and also has a smaller field, with the distance between the bases being 60 feet and the pitcher starting her delivery 43 feet from the rear of home plate, in contrast to baseball's 90 feet between the bases and 60 feet, 6 inch pitching distance. Also, softball pitchers do not work from a raised mound as baseball pitchers do; the pitching circle is at the same level as the rest of the infield. (This may vary in recreational leagues that use baseball fields.) Softball games are also usually shorter, with only seven innings being played, in contrast to nine in baseball.

Another difference with baseball is that the run rule is used in all games, with the last significant holdout, the championship series of the Women's College World Series, having adopted it in 2023. In international rules, the run rule is invoked if the lead is 20 runs after three innings, 15 runs after four innings, or 8 runs after five innings (in all cases, referring to the number of innings completed by the trailing team). College rules use only the 8-run, five-inning criterion. As in baseball, youth play has similar run rules.

The Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) was founded in 2022 and is the main professional softball league in the United States, though it does not have viewership levels anywhere close to that of Major League Baseball, or even the Women's College World Series (see below). The Association of Fastpitch Professionals and Athletes Unlimited Softball League were founded in 2024, with the latter having a relationship with MLB.

▸Museums and other attractions5,370 chars

In addition to the many, many opportunities to take in a baseball game, there are also plenty of museums in cities across the country devoted to the game, from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to little museums dedicated to hometown heroes and many more. Many ballparks have some sort of museum located on their grounds. Here are just some of the most noteworthy sights to take in the history of the sport:

A destination for any baseball fan is Cooperstown, New York, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which honors the game's history and its finest players. According to folklore, Cooperstown is where the game of baseball was invented, but no one has been able to prove that this is the case. Nevertheless, the town has become synonymous with the history of baseball and is a must-visit for baseball fans.

While popular legend suggests that Cooperstown was where the game was invented, history makes a compelling case that Elysian Fields in Hoboken is the actual birthplace of baseball, where the first organized game of baseball was played in 1846. Since then the fields have been developed into housing, so no remnant of the field exists, although its location is marked by a plaque at 11th and Washington Streets.

On the campus of the Montclair State University in New Jersey is the Yogi Berra Museum, devoted to the life and career of the famous Yankee, with a collection of artifacts and memorabilia that puts the museum in Yankee Stadium to shame.

Right around the corner from Camden Yards in South Baltimore is the Babe Ruth Museum, which preserves the house where the Great Bambino himself was born. There are also displays on baseball's most famous player, as well as an exhibit on the 500-home run club. On the opposite side of the city, North Baltimore is home to the Negro League Baseball Museum (a similar museum is in Kansas City, see below).

In South Williamsport, home to the Little League World Series every August, is the Little League Museum, with lots of Little League trivia and memorabilia, and a hall devoted to distinguished ex-Little Leaguers.

The University of Pittsburgh campus in Pittsburgh is home to two remnants of Forbes Field, a beloved stadium that was torn down when the Pirates moved to new digs on the riverfront. Inside the university's Posvar Hall is the old home plate in a glass case embedded in the floor, while outside is a section of the left field wall where Pirate Bill Mazeroski hit a walk-off home run to win the 1960 World Series. Every October 13th, Pirates faithful mark the occasion by turning out at the wall to listen to a radio broadcast of that game.

The site of the Atlanta Braves' old home, Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in South Atlanta, has a preserved section of wall where Hank Aaron hit his historic 715th career home run to break Babe Ruth's record. Georgia State University, which now owns the stadium site, is planning to build a new ballpark for its baseball team at the site, and plans to incorporate the Aaron wall in the structure.

The Louisville Slugger Museum allows you to tour the factory where the official bat of the major leagues is made. In addition to watching bats get made, you can also view plenty of memorabilia and get a custom name bat as a souvenir. Finding the museum is easy enough, thanks to the giant six-story replica of Babe Ruth's bat—"the world's largest bat"—standing outside.

Kansas City's 18th & Vine Historic District, an important center for jazz, is home to the Negro League Baseball Museum, which honors the history of the Negro Leagues, a historic league for African Americans that was segregated from the major leagues, which from the 1920s to major league baseball's integration produced some of the sport's greatest players. The museum tells the history of the leagues in loving detail, with lots of memorabilia to take in.

Outside the town of Dyersville, Iowa, west of Dubuque, sits the Field of Dreams, the movie set for the popular 1989 film (and unabashed celebration of the game) Field of Dreams. The attraction is a simple one, with the set preserved as it appears in the movie with only a small souvenir stand nearby. However, MLB later built a separate temporary ballpark about 500 feet away from the actual movie site on an adjacent property, which it first used for a special 2021 regular-season game marketed as MLB at Field of Dreams. With the game drawing the highest TV ratings for a regular-season game in more than 15 years, the special game returned to the second ballpark in 2022. After a few years off while a youth baseball facility was built on the property, the MLB is scheduled to make a return to the Field of Dreams on August 13, 2026, with a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins.

Housed inside a shopping center in Fargo is the Roger Maris Museum, devoted to the hometown hero and former Yankee, who was the first to beat Babe Ruth's single season home run record. The museum is small but contains plenty of Yankee memorabilia from the 1960s.

Across the street from Coors Field in Denver is the National Ballpark Museum, the culmination of one of the most fantastic private collections of baseball artifacts ever seen, with a stunning amount of artifacts from the classic ballparks of old, including signs, bricks, seats, light fixtures from Ebbets Field, and a section of Fenway Park's Green Monster.

Introduction

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Baseball in the United States" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Baseball in the United StatesFenway Park in Boston is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.CountryUnited StatesGoverning bodyUSA BaseballNational teamsMen's national team; Women's national teamFirst played1862Club competitions Major League Baseball (Major league)Minor League Baseball:International League (AAA)Pacific Coast League (AAA)Eastern League (AA)Southern League (AA)Texas League (AA)Midwest League (A+)Northwest League (A+)South Atlantic League (A+)California League (A)Carolina League (A)Florida State League (A)Arizona Complex League (Rookie)Florida Complex League (Rookie)Arizona Fall League (off-season minor league)Independent leagues:American Association of Professional BaseballAtlantic LeagueFrontier LeaguePioneer LeagueInternational competitions Summer Olympics WBSC Premier12 World Baseball Classic Women's Baseball World Cup U-23 Baseball World Cup U-18 Baseball World Cup U-15 Baseball World Cup U-12 Baseball World Cup 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.

Major League Baseball

[edit] Main article: Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization that is the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, in fact the oldest professional sports league in the world. A total of 30 teams now play in the American League (AL) and National League (NL), with 15 teams in each league. The AL and NL operated as separate legal entities from 1901 and 1876 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities since 1903, in 2000 the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball. The organization also oversees minor league baseball leagues, which comprise about 240 teams affiliated with the major-league clubs. With the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament. Baseball's first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869. The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era; players rarely hit home runs during this time. Baseball survived a conspiracy to fix the 1919 World Series, which came to be known as the Black Sox Scandal. The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s, and survived potential downturns during the Great Depression and World War II. Shortly after the war, baseball's color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson. New York City is for many sports fans synonymous with the New York Yankees and their logo. The team is noted as having been the team of many of the highest scoring players in the history of the game, and for having won more titles than any other US major professional sports franchise. The city was also host to two other highly popular baseball teams in the National League, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, before their transfer to California beginning with the 1958 season. The Yankees' chief rivals, the Boston Red Sox, also have a large following in Boston and throughout New England. The National League rivalry between the former Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants was transferred to the West Coast when the teams became the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, and California has always been among the US states which have supplied the most players in the major leagues. Philadelphia sports fans have rooted for the Phillies since 1883, as they are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports. Philadelphia Phillies fans are known for their intense support of their team throughout Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, and have been dubbed as the "Meanest Fans in America" due to the. Chicago sports fans also avidly follow the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox despite the comparative lack of success for the teams over their histories. The 1950s and 1960s were a time of expansion for the AL and NL, then new stadiums and artificial turf surfaces began to change the game in the 1970s and 1980s. Home runs dominated the game during the 1990s, and media reports began to discuss the use of anabolic steroids among Major League players in the mid-2000s. In 2006, an investigation produced the Mitchell Report, which implicated many players in the use of performance-enhancing substances, including at least one player from each team. Today, MLB is composed of thirty teams: twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada. Teams play 162 games each season and six teams in each league advance to a four-round postseason tournament that culminates in the World Series, a best-of-seven championship series between the two league champions that dates to 1903. Baseball broadcasts are aired throughout North America and in several other countries throughout the world. Games are aired on television, radio, and the Internet. MLB has the highest season attendance of any sports league in the world with more than 74 million spectators in 2013.

Minor league baseball

[edit] Main article: Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball (MLB) and provide opportunities for player development and a way to prepare for the major leagues. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses. Most are members of the umbrella organization known as Minor League Baseball (MiLB), which operates under the Commissioner of Baseball within the scope of organized baseball. Except for the Mexican League, teams in the organized minor leagues are generally independently owned and operated but are directly affiliated with one major league team through a standardized Player Development Contract (PDC). These leagues also go by the nicknames the "farm system", "farm club", or "farm team(s)" because of a joke passed around by major league players in the 1930s when St. Louis Cardinals' general manager Branch Rickey formalized the system, and teams in small towns were "growing players down on the farm like corn". Since 2021, the Minor League Baseball hierarchy is separated into the classes of AAA, AA, High-A, Low-A and Rookie. This came as a result of the reorganization of Minor League Baseball, which added or contracted new teams, as well as the elimination of Short-Season A and Rookie-Advanced. Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams may enter into a PDC for a two- or four-year term. At the expiration of a PDC term, teams may renew their affiliation, or sign new PDCs with different clubs, though many relationships are renewed and endure for extended time periods. For example, the Omaha Storm Chasers (formerly the Omaha Royals) have been the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals since the Royals joined the American League in 1969, but the Columbus Clippers changed affiliations, after being associated with the New York Yankees from 1979, to the Washington Nationals in 2007 and have been affiliated with the Cleveland Guardians since 2009. A few minor league teams are directly owned by their major league parent club, such as the Springfield Cardinals, owned by the St. Louis Cardinals, and all of the Atlanta Braves' affiliates except the Carolina Mudcats. Minor League teams that are owned directly by the major league Club do not have PDCs with each other and are not part of the reaffiliation shuffles that occur every other year. A special minor league is the Arizona Fall League. It operates outside the Minor League Baseball hierarchy and is owned by MLB as a whole; teams generally assign prospects from the AAA and AA classes to the league's six teams. Today, 19 affiliated minor baseball leagues operate with 246 member clubs in large, medium, and small towns, as well as the suburbs of major cities, across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.

College baseball

[edit] Main article: College baseball College baseball is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional players, as baseball's professional minor leagues are more extensive. Moving directly from high school to the professional level is more common in baseball than in football or basketball. However, if players enroll at a four-year college, they must complete three years to regain eligibility, unless they reach age 21 before starting their third year of attendance. Players who enroll at junior colleges (i.e., two-year institutions) regain eligibility after one year at that level, Bryce Harper being a notable example. In 2013, there are 298 NCAA Division I teams in the United States. As with most other U.S. intercollegiate sports, competitive college baseball is played under the auspices of the NCAA or the NAIA. The NCAA writes the rules of play, while each sanctioning body supervises season-ending tournaments. The final rounds of the NCAA tournaments are known as the College World Series; one is held on each of the three levels of competition sanctioned by the NCAA. The College World Series for Division I takes place in Omaha, Nebraska in June, following the regular season. The playoff bracket for Division I consists of 64 teams, with four teams playing at each of 16 regional sites (in a double-elimination format). The 16 winners advance to the Super Regionals at eight sites, played head-to-head in a best-of-three series. The eight winners then advance to the College World Series, a double elimination tournament (actually two separate four-team brackets) to determine the two national finalists. The finalists play a best-of-three series to determine the Division I national champion. Players seeking a professional career in baseball after college typically continue playing by way of collegiate summer baseball during the summer months after each college season ends. Dozens of collegiate summer baseball leagues, all of them independent from each other and from any other baseball organization, exist, each varying widely in level of talent, ranging from the elite Cape Cod League down to leagues that draw primarily from regional colleges. The one feature common to all collegiate summer baseball leagues is the use of wooden baseball bats like those used in the professional game; college baseball uses metal bats.

Baseball in the United States

Beyond the Major Leagues

Seasonal rhythms and regional quirks

What guidebooks miss: the museum trail