Baseball: America’s pastime. Or is it – Baseball: Past time, America?
According to the Los Angeles Times, “Major League Baseball has seen its attendance and television ratings steadily drop amid concerns about sluggish play. Changes, including a pitch clock and automated strike zone, could be on the way.”
Enter The Savannah Bananas, a college summer team, encouraging splits instead of slides and caring for the fan “a-peel” more than the score. The Bananas Team is the brainchild of owner, Jesse Cole.
Again, from the Los Angeles Times:
Jesse Cole serves as ringmaster, darting around in a yellow tuxedo and top hat, leading sing-alongs — Woah, livin’ on a prayer — and judging toddler races between innings. Lanky and frenetic, Cole is equal parts P.T. Barnum and Walt Disney, with a bit of “Saturday Night Live.”
“We’ve always been very clear about our goal,” he says. “We exist to make baseball fun.”
His team looks like another Harlem Globetrotters at first glance, but the competition is genuine and there is something potentially important at work.
The Bananas are a step ahead, packing ballparks throughout the South and Midwest, transforming themselves into a national brand with highlights on ESPN and 2.5 million TikTok followers. MLB executives say they are watching for any ideas that might make their game more “fan-friendly.”
The team dresses in bright yellow. Fans can buy banana costumes to wear during the game. Some baseball rules have been changed, like if a fan catches a foul ball, the player is out. Base coaches dance. One pitcher throws the ball while wearing stilts and another twerks before throwing a strike. Everyone is having fun. Even the opposing teams start to ripen to the idea, getting into the scripted parts of the team introductions before settling down to playing the game. The emphasis is on having fun and entertaining everyone. Meet the Savannah Bananas, who wow fans and have MLB’s attention – Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
If you read my last blog post, you will know it was about the Air Guitar World Championship in Finland earlier in August. It started with this quote.
“It is ridiculous. It is as silly and absurd as it sounds. In fact, that’s why I wanted to start being an air guitarist to begin with, because I saw that this thing existed and I’m like, ‘That is the stupidest thing ever. I want to be the best in the world at that.’” So says, Justin “Nordic Thunder” Howard, the World Champion Air Guitarist in 2012. Make Air Not War – Standing in the Light (iamstandinginthelight.com)
We have a theme here. Cultivating and living in the energy of “more fun.” Besides the sheer joy of these activities, there is science behind living a more fun filled and joyful life.
NPR Life Kit has a podcast called: How to have fun – even when life’s got you down. How to have fun : Life Kit : NPR
This podcast, hosted by Julia Furlan, interviews Catherine Price who authored the book The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again.
In her book, Price defines true fun as “a time when you are able to embody a mix of three things: playfulness, connection and flow.”
Price goes on to explain playfulness, connection and flow.
Playfulness:
“Playfulness is when you embrace a spirit of lightheartedness and freedom. It means letting go of the idea that you have to be perfect or to achieve something.”
Connection:
“You feel a sense of connection with the activity that you’re doing. You feel a sense of connection with your physical body. Or, most likely, you feel a sense of connection with another person or group of people through a shared experience.”
Flow:
“You know that thing where you’re totally immersed in something and can even lose track of time? That.”
All of these energies are going to raise our vibration, and that is what Spirit encourages us to do daily.
SPARK:
Finally, Price has an acronym to help us remember how to find and focus on fun.
S — Make space for fun! Put your phone down, or even set aside some time on your calendar to make sure you are really dedicating yourself to looking for fun.
P — Pursue passions. “You don’t need to put pressure on yourself and think ‘I’m going to become a professional snowboarder,'” Price says. Set the bar low! Look for things that interest you and let those guide you.
A — A is for attracting fun, which means having an open mind about when and where fun might appear. Price recommends an improv-style “yes, and” approach to having fun, where you look for fun as well as jump into other folks’ fun.
R — Rebellion! Price found in her research that a little bit of gentle rebellion was a good way to make fun happen. So, jump in a pool with your clothes on! Stepping out of what is expected of you can be a great way to seek out fun moments.
K — Keep at it! Like any new practice, the only way to really incorporate it into your life is to try it many times. So don’t give up if basket weaving doesn’t work for you — maybe it’ll be guitar or making zines or working in the community garden that becomes your next fun magnet!
Whether you try your hand at air guitar, join the crowd at a Savannah Bananas game or watch a favorite sitcom, take stock in what you are doing. Try not to multitask away the joy of one activity by sandwiching it in with another thing on your to-due list. Try to see the beauty and fun of being present with each of your experiences. Marsha’s latest blog entry addresses this idea as well. How Are You Drinking Your Tea? – Marsha Hankins
Being present will help us remember the joy and fun of being alive, and the joy and fun of being human. That is the greatest show on earth.
Gratitude to S Hermann with Pixabay.com for the image.