Baseball Is A Love Story: What We Really Cherish About the Game

Because this week is all about love, it feels like the perfect time to talk about what it actually means to love baseball. Not in the cheesy “slap it on a t-shirt” way, but in the way it shows up in how you play, how you watch, and how you carry the game with you long after the lights go out on the field.

This post is pulled from episode two of the Pine Tar Podcast, where I unpack why “grit” and “love” are more than just taglines for Pine Tar Clothing Company—they’re the heartbeat of the whole thing.

Why Love Belongs in Baseball

At Pine Tar, we believe in playing the game with grit and with love. That’s not just marketing language; it’s a way of looking at baseball that honors how long the game has been here for us. Baseball has been around for over a century, carried people through world wars, and woven itself into the history of America. It has always been there in the background—on the radio, on TV, in small-town parks and big-league stadiums—giving us something to hold onto.

So when I ask, “What’s not to love?” I’m not being rhetorical. The fact that the game has survived generations, cultural shifts, and everything in between is proof that there’s real, stubborn love embedded in it.

What It Means to Truly Love the Game

“Loving the game” looks different for everybody. Some people love the strategy, some love the routine, some love the noise, and others love the quiet spaces between pitches. But I’d argue there are always a few signs—little pieces of evidence—that you don’t just like baseball, you love it.

Here are a few of mine from the episode:

• You can’t quite explain it, but you know there’s something about the game you can’t walk away from.

• You find yourself thinking about it even when you’re not at the field.

• You notice the small things—the way a player runs out a routine ground ball, the dirt on the jersey, the energy in the dugout.

Sometimes, if you really sit down and try to name what you love about baseball, it’s surprisingly hard. Not because you don’t love it, but because it’s so woven into your habits, friendships, and memories that it feels bigger than a simple list.

Grit, Heart, and Getting Dirty

For ballplayers, I’ve always believed there should be some visible evidence of love in how you play. That’s where “grit” and “getting dirty” come in.

Loving the game shows up when you:

• Sprint out every ground ball, whether anyone’s cheering or not.

• Dive for a ball you might not get, just because not going for it doesn’t feel right.

• Come home with your pants stained, your jersey scuffed, and your body exhausted—but you’re already thinking about the next game.

That’s love. Not the easy, highlight-reel kind, but the “I’ll show up again tomorrow” kind. It’s the same energy we try to honor in our designs at Pine Tar: the hustle, the heart, and the willingness to get a little dirty for something that matters.

When Loving the Game Gets Hard

Here’s the honest part: sometimes it’s hard to love baseball. Not in the “I’m done with this” way, but in the way that anything you care deeply about will occasionally test you.

As a player, you go through:

• Slumps that feel endless.

• Games where nothing falls your way.

• Seasons where you’re questioning your role, your talent, or your future.

In those moments, showing up requires more than just habit—it requires love. You keep working, keep grinding, keep caring, even when the box score doesn’t love you back. For a lot of us, that’s where the “grit” part of the Pine Tar tagline really lives.

Fans Have Their Own Kind of Love

You don’t have to be a ballplayer to love baseball deeply. Fans have their own rituals and reasons, and they’re just as valid.

Maybe you:

• Love keeping score by hand and tracking every pitch.

• Love the first walk up the stadium steps when the field comes into view.

• Love Little League Saturdays more than most holidays.

Even if you’ve never played an inning, there’s probably something about the game that sticks with you—maybe it’s time with family, your hometown team, or just the rhythm of the season. Whether you’re on the field or in the stands, you’re part of the same story.

Why This Matters for Pine Tar

Pine Tar Clothing Company exists in that intersection of hustle and love. We’re here for the players who slide first, the coaches who stay late, the parents who pack the car one more time, and the fans who never leave early.

When we talk about celebrating the hustle and heart of baseball, we’re talking about:

• The kid who shows up early to take extra grounders.

• The beer-league player who still tapes his bat like it’s game seven.

• The fan who wears their team hat until it’s sun-faded and sweat-stained.

Those are love stories. They’re quiet, daily, real.

Your Turn: What Do You Love About the Game?

In the episode, I share a handful of things I’ve cared about over the years when it comes to baseball, but I also ask listeners to think about their own. Because what you love about the game might be completely different from what I love—and that’s the point.

So, if you’re reading this, here’s your prompt:

• What’s one thing you absolutely love about baseball—as a player, a coach, a parent, or a fan?

• What’s one small piece of evidence that proves you love it? (The dirty pants, the late nights, the early mornings, the miles driven, the tickets bought.)

Drop your answer in the comments, send a message, or share it with someone who gets it. This week might be all about love, but for a lot of us, that love looks like a dusty infield, a worn-out glove, and a game that’s somehow always been there.