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15.8. Batter Up!
In the U.S., baseball is the commonly thought of exciting spring sport, but in other parts of the world, other sports are the focus in the spring. Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, involving your favorite spring sport.

To work as a sport, the activity must be physical, it must be engaged in by human beings, and there must some sort of organized competition in the activity.

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Would you consider motorcycle riding a sport? It's definitely our favorite thing to do once the weather gets warm in the spring.

I know I'm showing my cultural ignorance, but I'm not exactly sure what you would consider to be a spring sport. I think of sports as being either summer sports (whose season starts at the end of spring) and winter sports (whose season ends in early spring). In between there's not much apart from the spring racing carnival (and I don't follow horse racing).

Coralie wrote: "I know I'm showing my cultural ignorance, but I'm not exactly sure what you would consider to be a spring sport. I think of sports as being either summer sports (whose season starts at the end of s..."

whatever sports are played in the spring where you are. Or, anywhere else for that matter.

I think that would include just about anything except snow sports.

Cathy wrote: "Would you consider motorcycle riding a sport? It's definitely our favorite thing to do once the weather gets warm in the spring."

No, I wouldn't consider that a sport. Here's a wikipedia definition - "Sport (or, primarily in North America, sports) is all forms of competitive physical activity which,[1] through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and provide entertainment to participants.[2] Hundreds of sports exist, from those requiring only two participants, through to those with hundreds of simultaneous participants, either in teams or competing as individuals."

Coralie wrote: "I think that would include just about anything except snow sports."

Maybe so. In the U.S., though, I don't think it would reasonably include football. Maybe others, I don't follow all sports. I'm a long-time baseball fan, and I think of basketball in the spring too, since the playoffs seem to last the entire springs (not to mention the NCAA Tournament).

I don't even know when they play baseball here as I've never seen a game and it is rarely mentioned in the sporting news. Our 'football' is completely different from yours and we can't even agree on which game goes by that name (although I think all codes extend into spring to some extent). At the moment I am thinking of using netball. I am pretty sure my daughter's netball team had a spring season as well as an autumn season.

Would it be OK to use tennis as a spring sport? It is played in the spring in high school and colleges, although it's more of a summer sport in the pros.

Coralie wrote: "I don't even know when they play baseball here as I've never seen a game and it is rarely mentioned in the sporting news. Our 'football' is completely different from yours and we can't even agree o..."

I think you could use Rugby (either one) or AFL - both of their seasons are during this SRC time...possibly field hockey as well (if there are any books about it...)

The Wiki page below has a handy chart that shows the seasons of sports in different countries/regions - scroll down to Season by league.

Would you consider golf as a spring sport? I am seeing my neighbors buzzing past in their golf carts, heading for the course across the street now. Up here in Washington state, they start playing as soon as any snow melts and they don't need to wear hip waders due to rain. :)

Connie wrote: "Would it be OK to use tennis as a spring sport? It is played in the spring in high school and colleges, although it's more of a summer sport in the pros."

yes

Deanna wrote: "Would you consider golf as a spring sport? I am seeing my neighbors buzzing past in their golf carts, heading for the course across the street now. Up here in Washington state, they start playing a..."

yes

How about NASCAR? It is competitive and is on the link to Sports Seasons that was posted in message 13 by DG. The season starts next week.

Cathy wrote: "How about NASCAR? It is competitive and is on the link to Sports Seasons that was posted in message 13 by DG. The season starts next week."

Oh good one, Cathy! I'm into baseball more but I'm reading a series about NASCAR so I may be more handy to read that one.

Cathy wrote: "How about NASCAR? It is competitive and is on the link to Sports Seasons that was posted in message 13 by DG. The season starts next week."

NASCAR works

im assuming it can be a sport that you participate in? the triathlon season starts in april and this is going to be my first year back after some crappy injuries and i'm looking forward to being able to compete again

If anyone is looking for a good book involving baseball, I can recommend The Card by Jim Devitt. I read it last year and really liked it.

Here's one I may read...it's about baseball and it got a lot of good reviews:
The Art of Fielding

I liked the Art of Fielding DG

Good to know, Dee!

Dee wrote: "im assuming it can be a sport that you participate in? the triathlon season starts in april and this is going to be my first year back after some crappy injuries and i'm looking forward to being a..."

of course. and good luck!

D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ wrote: "Here's one I may read...it's about baseball and it got a lot of good reviews:
The Art of Fielding"

The Art of Fielding is one of the best books I read last year. I highly recommend it.

I also really enjoyed the Art of Fielding.

Here is one,My Losing Season: A Memoir

Do you consider dancing a sport? My daughter considers herself an athlete since she is required to lift weights,do stretching and run for training. Most of her competitions and try-outs for troupes take place in the Spring and I enjoy attending every event!!

Robin wrote: "Do you consider dancing a sport? My daughter considers herself an athlete since she is required to lift weights,do stretching and run for training. Most of her competitions and try-outs for troupes..."

I'd say yes. It's very physical and if someone is on a dance team or participating in competitions, she's certainly competing as an athlete.

How about dog sports? I'm starting to compete in agility with my Border Collie and I have a book called Dogged Pursuit by Robert Rodi which is about the author's experiences competing in this sport with his dogDogged Pursuit: My Year of Competing Dusty, the World's Least Likely Agility Dog

Andy wrote: "How about dog sports? I'm starting to compete in agility with my Border Collie and I have a book called Dogged Pursuit by Robert Rodi which is about the author's experiences competing in this sport..."

No, as much as I loved the movie Best in Show, I want to keep this to sports in which the humans have a more competitive role themselves, rather than just training/supervising animals who are competing.

Would hiking work?


Also, for anyone looking for more options, NCAA (college level) sports for the spring season are:

Baseball/Softball
Golf
Lacrosse
Rowing
Tennis
Outdoor Track & Field
Volleyball
Women's Water Polo

Vicky wrote: "Would hiking work?


Also, for anyone looking for more options, NCAA (college level) sports for the spring season are:

Baseball/Softball
Golf
Lacrosse
Rowing
Tennis
Outdoor Track & Field
Volleyba..."

Thanks for the list, Vicky.

Since hiking is not competitive, I'm going to say no to that one.

Sandy wrote: "Andy wrote: "How about dog sports? I'm starting to compete in agility with my Border Collie and I have a book called Dogged Pursuit by Robert Rodi which is about the author's experiences competing ..."

ok I'll accept your judgement, but just for the record agility is team sport between human with both the dog and human interacting to do the job. The dog can't do it without the human and the communication between the pair is essential to the success. That being said, I've got several baseball books to pick from. How about Ball Four by ]Jim Bouton

I know this is a long shot, but thought I'd ask anyways. What about UFC/MMA-cage type fights? It's a combat sport... and some title fights are fought in the springtime. Instead of seasons, there are "events" throughout the year... yes, I know I'm stretching...

Ty wrote: "I know this is a long shot, but thought I'd ask anyways. What about UFC/MMA-cage type fights? It's a combat sport... and some title fights are fought in the springtime. Instead of seasons, there ar..."

I know nothing about this, but from what you say here, it sounds as if it's physical and competitive and done as much in the spring as any other time of year, so okay.

Sandy wrote: "I know nothing about this, but from what you say here, it sounds as if it's physical and competitive and done as much in the spring as any other time of year, so okay..."

YES! *raises arms in victory lap around the cage*

It's very brutal and violent and I can't bear to watch it at all. But I do love reading it. Haha!

I see that NASCAR has been approved in Message 19. This Book Dead Man's Switch: A Kate Reilly Mystery, is about the America LeMans Series racing. Would it qualify as well?

Andy wrote: "I see that NASCAR has been approved in Message 19. This Book Dead Man's Switch: A Kate Reilly Mystery, is about the America LeMans Series racing. Would it qualify as well?"

yes

I want to double check on this one:

Fences by August Wilson

It's a play and the main character, Troy played baseball before Jackie Robinson's breakthrough into the sport. There is a lot of talk about baseball, but not a character currently playing baseball. Is that enough to count it for this task?

Karen GHHS wrote: "I want to double check on this one:

Fences by August Wilson

It's a play and the main character, Troy played baseball before Jackie Robinson's breakthrough into the sport..."

from the description, it sounds as if baseball is an important part of the back story, so it works.

swimming/diving (as it is coming into the summer) and the summer Olympics were just held last year?

Dee wrote: "swimming/diving (as it is coming into the summer) and the summer Olympics were just held last year?"

yes

Would yoga work? It's definitely physical and there's organized competition, but I'd though I'd check.

Alexis wrote: "Would yoga work? It's definitely physical and there's organized competition, but I'd though I'd check."

wow, I never would have thought of yoga as a competitive sport, but I found an article on the NY Times Sports pages about a yoga competition. And, it appears that the US Yoga championships take place in the spring, too.

Sure, yoga works.

wow...but then I shouldn't be surprised - competitive aerobics is huge in australia

Er, could ice hockey work? The official NHA season ends April 13th:) It's one of my fave sports:)

And can it just involve a player of the sport or should there also be some matches?

Melanie wrote: "Er, could ice hockey work? The official NHA season ends April 13th:) It's one of my fave sports:)

And can it just involve a player of the sport or should there also be some matches?"

it works, and it just have to involve the sport in some way - a player would work.

Great, thank you Sandy!