Among a sea of white and blue, fans jump up in their seats, eyes constantly fixated on the ball. As the long-awaited third game of the Crosstown Classic series begins, Cubs and White Sox fans alike enthusiastically cheer for their teams, sharing the same passion despite being on opposing sides.
The bat cracks, launching the ball into the air, and fans set down their famous Wrigley Field hot dogs and beers as they cluster in the stands, reaching out in hopes of catching it.
The magic of a baseball game is something that can’t be captured on a screen, despite its increased convenience. It’s rooted in years of strong tradition, the passion of lifelong fans and the breathtaking atmosphere of a game that is matched by no other sport.
Sophomore Theo Lach, a baseball player and long-term Sox fan, said the atmosphere of being in a stadium is what makes going to a baseball game so special.
“I think it’s the environment, if you’re on your couch rather than in the seats, right behind home plate, it’s really that community,” Theo said. “You don’t really get a sense of community without watching the live sport at the stadium.”
While for many fans, baseball is enjoyable to watch whether you’re seeing it live or not, Theo believes being at a game in person is more enjoyable because of the traditions that go with being at a game, along with the food and the environment.
Ravi Shah, a ninth grader and Cubs fan, feels similarly, and has fond memories of going to baseball games with his family.
“When I was 7 years old, I went to a baseball game with my dad, a Cubs game at Wrigley Field,” Ravi said, explaining that this tradition with his dad is what has caused him to be a passionate baseball fan. “The crowd had so much energy, especially when the ball got hit out of the field and into the bleachers. I could just feel the energy.”
Ravi reminisced about the nostalgic food, like the famous Chicago Cubs hot dogs, and what it was like to jump up along with hundreds of other fans to try to catch the ball while the organ plays a tune from a familiar pop song. For him, baseball was more than just a game but created a community he could share with his friends and family.
“You could see everyone was coming together,” Ravi said, referring to a Cubs game he’d attended recently. “It was competitive, of course, but you could see all the people coming together with a shared passion of baseball.”
Regardless of their team allegiances, Ravi and Theo both agree that the atmosphere of going to a baseball game is what compels them to return every season.
“It’s really the in-person experience of being at the stadium,” Ravi said. “Sharing the experience with your friends and family is really why I like going to baseball games.”
In the ninth inning of the final game in the Crosstown Classic, the Cubs lead. Cheers from Sox fans — spots of black among the sea of Cubs blue — remain loud in the crowd even as the fate of the game seems set in stone.
Cubs fans jump up and begin to sing as the giant words, “Go, Cubs, Go,” blast across the screens. A final score of 6-2 completes a 3-0 sweep of the Crosstown Classic for the Cubs. The Sox fans slump in their chairs, but not for long as fans soon rush out of the stadium to beat the traffic, leaving a trail of peanut shells and empty wrappers, and carrying the energy of a magical day at the baseball park.
