Baseball is considered to be the “National Pastime.” Each year, since 1876, baseball fans from around the world are gathered at places like Cooperstown, New York to honor the game’s greatest players and to watch some of the greatest games ever played. While there is no denying that baseball is an amazing game, it’s far from being the only sport out there. In fact, there’s a whole universe of sports games that a person could play, from hockey to American football, and even basketball.
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Variety Is The Name Of The Sport
When you think about it, baseball is a pretty unique game. It’s played by only a few different nations around the world, and the rules and regulations don’t change that much from one version to the next. There are some notable exceptions, like the designated hitter rule, which was first implemented in the American League in 1920, and the nine-innings-per-game limit, which was decreed in 1968 but wasn’t adopted by every team until the 1980s.
Baseball is also a fairly monotonous game. Sure, there are all kinds of pitches and swings to keep an even busier baseball fan entertained for hours on end. But for the most part, it’s a game that really requires no mental stimulation. You have a bat and a ball, and you either hit the ball or you don’t.
On the other hand, hockey is a sport that is played by virtually every civilized nation around the world. The game itself is fascinating, featuring skilled players employing their arms, legs, and even their heads to maneuver a puck or a ball around the ice, dodging, spinning, and hacking at the puck to gain an advantage. The sport is filled with strategy and subtle moves that, even for non-hockey fans, can leave an impression that lasts for hours.
There are so many different varieties of hockey that there’s literally something for everyone. If you like ice hockey, then there are dozens of leagues and teams to follow. You could start with the NHL, which is the pinnacle of the sport, or the KHL, which is the top Russian hockey league. If you want to keep things relatively simple, you could always jump into the Swedish Hockey League, which features some of the best players in the world and plays at a consistently high level throughout the year. Or, if you’d rather not spend your evenings glued to the TV, you could play on the streets, using anything available to you – a beach ball, a tennis ball, or even a pumpkin – to maneuver around the obstacles in your path. The list of approved hockey equipment is quite extensive, so if you want to play by the rules, then you’re pretty much guaranteed to have everything you need.
More Than Meets The Eye
Now, you might be thinking that baseball is the more popular sport, and you’d be correct. But that doesn’t mean that hockey isn’t worthwhile. In fact, there are lots of reasons why hockey is better than baseball. Here are just a few.
Better Equipment
You don’t need special equipment to play baseball, just a glove, a hat, and a couple of bats. While helmets are not officially mandated in baseball, they’re considered a great idea. They protect your head from getting smashed by a pitched ball, which happens more often than you’d think. And, as mentioned above, there are so many different varieties of hockey equipment that you could use. It could be a combination of two or three sticks, a hockey puck, and a pair of hand-warmers. The list of acceptable hockey equipment is quite extensive, including not only those items listed above, but also protective gear like elbow pads, shin pads, and mouth guards. If you play on the street or in an open field, then just about any surface will do. However, you might want to invest in some ice skates if you plan on playing on a frozen pond or lake. And, if possible, get a pair of ice skates with inline-style blades. These are much easier to use than the traditional hockey puck, and they also allow you to perform tight turns, which makes it easier for you to outmaneuver the opponent.
Variety Of Sports
One of the things that makes hockey better than baseball is the variety of sports that can be integrated into the game. Some people like to think of hockey as a combination of soccer, football, and wrestling, which, while there is some truth to that, it’s really more unique than that. The game has evolved a lot since its inception, and the variety of skills and athleticism that players have to display just to score a goal is incredible.
In terms of soccer integration, you could use a beach ball, a tennis ball, or even a rugby ball for your soccer needs. In the same way that a golfer can use a putter to hit a tennis ball, a hockey player can use a hockey stick to hit a golf ball, so long as it’s the same size and weight. The rules of hockey allow for almost any type of sport to be played, so long as it has a ball or a puck involved. It’s almost like baseball, but with an emphasis on strategy and skill rather than just batting average.
Athletics
Another thing that makes hockey better than baseball is the fact that it includes athletic moves and actions. The game itself is fast-paced and requires a lot of activity. You’re not just sitting around waiting for a pitch – you’re constantly moving around, trying to outmaneuver your opponent. This constant motion makes your body active, which is great for keeping in shape and also helps you deal with the cold weather, which is very common in the sport.
So, if you want to keep your body warm, you’re better off playing outside in the wintertime. But that doesn’t mean that you need to be limited to outdoor play – you could always stay in and play on the ice, using your hands and your feet to maneuver the puck around. While most people think of hockey as being played on ice, there are actually hundreds of different ways that the sport can be practiced, including on grass, in the dirt, or even on a synthetic surface such as turf or concrete.
A Game That Teaches You To Be Successful
One of the other things that makes hockey better than baseball is that it teaches you to be successful. You learn early on in the sport that being physical is necessary but not always enough – you have to be smart too, especially if you want to become a good hockey player. It takes a while before you realize that you’re not going to be able to score every time you come to the plate, so you better start working on your eye-hand coordination and being able to recognize pitches and make a play when they’re thrown your way.
Like baseball, hockey also requires you to focus on your weaknesses – the areas where you need to improve. Although it might be great to have a strong batting average, if you’re not comfortable throwing your weight around or taking a hit, then staying away from pitchers might be the best option for you. The thing about baseball is that you’re always comparing your performance to others – your teammates, your classmates, and even the people next to you on the street. In hockey, you’re much more focused on yourself, because you’re always competing against yourself. Even though there is no scoreboard while you’re playing, there is no denying that the result of each game is totally objective and immediate, providing you with an invaluable sense of self-evaluation.
An Opportunity To Be Creative
Finally, one of the other things that makes hockey better than baseball is that it provides you with an opportunity to be creative. The sport is filled with so many different kinds of plays and tricks that even the most creative among us have fun coming up with new ways to beat the other team. If you think that you’ve seen everything there is to see in terms of trick shots and improbable goals, then you haven’t seen anything yet – there’s always a way to surprise yourself and your opponent with an action that is both spectacular and creative.
Baseball is one of the most popular sports worldwide, and for good reason – it’s easy to understand, it’s filled with strategy, and you can play in a variety of locations, depending on the time of year and how much snow there is where you live. But for all the popularity that it has, hockey still has a lot to offer. It’s a game that is filled with strategy and athletic ability, and it forces you to be smart as well as fast on your feet. If you’ve never tried it, then there’s no denying that you’re missing out – you could have so much fun playing and learning the game, in addition to keeping fit and active, all while enjoying the company of friends and family.