I’m willing to admit that my baseball obsession has become slightly insufferable. In keeping up with Major League Baseball (MLB), I’ve gone down rabbit holes of sabermetrics and player performance forecasting, begun to learn Python to statistically analyze the game, and lost too much sleep during the postseason. The beauty of the game isn’t showcased on a screen however, it’s found in the stands of a field, where the air smells like salted pretzels and warm beer. I’ve found that when two people know a bit about baseball, they were never truly strangers to begin with. Living in a big city can be increasingly isolating, so the necessity for sports only grows. By bringing together residents from different neighborhoods, cities, and even entire regions, a new kind of fandom is emerging—one that unites people in support of their city.

Since the early 20th century, the baseball field has been a mainstay for cultural connection and urban unification. In Paul Goldberger’s widely popular 2019 release, Ballpark: Baseball in the American City, he describes the construction of baseball fields in three distinctive eras: the golden age pre-1950, the post-war expansionist period, and the era of urban reintegration. The first era  brought fans iconoclasts: Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago. These two landmarks have, and continue to, represent the deep and enduring history of baseball, while simultaneously becoming defining fixtures of their surrounding neighborhoods—Fenway-Kenmore in Boston and Wrigleyville in Chicago—contributing to their vibrant, community-driven atmospheres. 

For a brief stint from the 1950s to 80s, stadiums were built further and further outside the city, in attempts to consolidate the fields into large multi-purpose arenas that could lend themselves to hosting the city’s football teams. These were widely unpopular as the heavy concrete and odd dimensions did not lend themselves well to the baseball diamond, and felt deeply impersonal and generic. This all changed when Baltimore’s Camden Yards opened in 1992, ushering a new era of baseball urbanism. The stadium connected directly to the surrounding architecture, celebrated the city, and was built in the heart of downtown. Today, there are volumes upon volumes highlighting the success of Baltimore’s MLB development, which inspired cities across the nation to move inwards and build stadiums that integrate seamlessly with their urban environments. 

Camden Yards prove that baseball stadiums can be more than just places to watch a game—they become vibrant community hubs that connect fans to the city's history and culture. As other cities took note, they began designing stadiums that embraced local identity, with architectural elements that reflected the surrounding neighborhood and fostered a sense of belonging for residents; fans or not. This shift brought baseball back into the heart of cities, making it accessible and inviting to people from all walks of life. Today, stadiums like Oracle Park in San Francisco, Target Field in Minneapolis, and Petco Park in San Diego continue this tradition, with designs that prioritize connection to the urban landscape, fostering a sense of community both inside and outside the stadium.

For about 81 home games a year, the neighborhoods surrounding baseball fields are flooded with fans in their team’s colors, prepared to cheer for the next nine or so innings, in search of the greasiest food available. This integration of baseball with the city has been one that opened doors to new waves of connection, whether it be a pre-game tailgate or the post-game ride home on the train. This–in no small way–has redefined districts, imploring urban space to become more accessible to fans and non-fans alike, transforming stadiums from isolated arenas into dynamic, community-driven spaces. 

The surrounding streets become extensions of the ballpark itself, as bars, restaurants, and local shops thrive in the shadow of the stadium, catering to both game-goers and the uninitiated. Urban development around these venues has evolved to accommodate the influx of visitors, hailing a huge win for public transportation and proprietors of pedestrian-centric infrastructure. In many of these post-industrial-turned-commercial zones where baseball stadiums are commonly located, the vibrance and unity of baseball neighborhoods have shed light on the necessity to invest in spaces that encourage a shared devotion to community.  

In 2021, a collaboration between MLB and Nike introduced the City Connect jersey series, designed to celebrate the unique identities of each team's city, further blending baseball with urban culture. However trivial as it may seem, the introduction of the City Connect jersey series has self-realized as a way to engage urbanites and baseball fans together as one, celebrating the diverse and complex histories of each hometown through a line of merchandise. Highlighting unique elements of each city’s culture, landmarks, or stories, the City Connect line serves as a platform to continually reintegrate the city into the sport, and vice versa.

The New York Mets highlighted their connection to the city with purple accents referencing the "7" subway line and a concrete print on a grey uniform, with pinstripes reminiscent of subway tracks. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals chose a cherry blossom-printed uniform paired with a typeface that evokes the iconic marble columns central to the city’s architecture. A personal favorite is the Giants, whose uniform features the Golden Gate Bridge emerging from a layer of "fog," with the details electrified in a bold orange—the signature color so closely associated with crossing the bay.

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