Baseball and Fans Social Stratification

This ethnography will be an attempt to describe Dodger Team and interview a fan. Dodger’s is a Major League Baseball team originally from Brooklyn and who now play in the city of Los Angeles. On October 28 2018, I attended with my key informant the World Series game between Dodgers who were set to play against Boston’s Red Sox at the Dodgers stadium. This is my first baseball game to attend. My key informant guided me through the process of getting to the park and throughout the game.

The park opened its doors to the fans 2 hours before the game began. Parking itself was a bit chaotic due to the heavy traffic. Prices to park varied on the vehicle size, whether parking on the General Lot, Preferred lot or at the Gate, which is closer to the stadium.

All the fans arrived eagerly with smiles on their faces ready to watch their favorite baseball team play. Baseball brings an excitement to diverse groups.

Everyone’s attire consisted of the color royal blue, which symbolizes the Dodgers team color, also known by the fans as Dodger blue or a Jersey of their favorite team player. Nonetheless, a baseball cap was also part of the fans attire. As everyone walks searching for their seats, some make quick stops to purchase certain essentials that will be needed throughout the game. Which includes snacks and drinks. Vendors are found outside and inside every single floor of the stadium. The stadium consists of different sections for people to seat and watch the game.

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However, social stratification falls into place depending on where fans seat to watch the game. The closer fans seat to the baseball field, the more the seating cost. The section where I did most of my observations from were in the Loge seating. The Loge seating is located on the second floor behind the catcher. As I’m seating waiting for the game to start I was able to observe that fans near me had catching gloves. I questioned why would they need a glove? My informant explained that people with gloves are hoping to catch a ball. The game was about to start, but before it does everyone must show respect and stand to pledge to the American flag. After, it is time to play ball. Fans keep standing enthusiastic for the first pitch. No matter where a fan stands in social stratification they all wait for the same thing. Anthropologist can view a dodger game as a structure functionalism. The idea of baseball is a team, outfit, a section a gang, and a union.

There are twelve different sections in the stadium. Fans purchase tickets depending on where they want to seat and watch the Dodgers play. It has the Dougout Club, Top Deck, Loge, Infield Reserve, Upper Reserve, Lower Reserve, Preferred Field Box, Infield Box, Field Box, Suites and Club Sections, Pavilion and Field Box MVP. In the same form that countries are stratified into structures of rich and poor sports are also stratified into a global hierarchy. Does it make a difference on the experience fans have due to their seating? Unfortunately, yes it does. However, it does not make the person less of a fanatic because they purchased a ticket that their seat is much less close to the field. From my perspective, the fans that sat in the Dougout Club, which is the closest seating to the field, seem more refined. The social stratification was noticeable. The fans seating at the Doug Out experience catering. Which they did not have to get up and miss any part of the game. Unless, it was necessarily for them to leave their seats. Therefore, the rest of the fans who sat in other sections had to leave their seats and encounter long lines to make any purchases. However, they still had access to TV’s that where showing the game while waiting in line. One observation also was that the areas beside the DougOut were bit louder. Fans seem to consume much more alcoholic beverages. It did get rowdy. Therefore, depending on where a fans social stratification is, can define the experience he or she can encounter at a baseball game.

A norm is something that is usual or standard. Being in the fieldwork at a Dodger game, I was able to obtain some observations of the norms. To my observation wearing the color what fans called Dodger blue was a norm. It is the norm to represent the Dodgers by wearing the color of the team or a jersey of their favorite team player. Other normal behaviors include standing up to pledge to the American flag before the first pitch. In addition, everyone kept standing and waited for the first pitch after the pledge was done. Fans shouted, cheered, threw fist pumps and at times clap hands with other fans throughout the game. At times fans would use profanity expressing their upset feelings when the Dodgers would make a wrong play. Although fans are there to support the team, they also expect for the Dodgers to keep it together and offer a great game. Fans showed so much support to the Dodgers. When the opposite team was up to bat, fans made sure to make as much noise to distract the batter’s concentration. “Hey batter batter,” fans shouted as part of their distraction method. Now when the Dodgers had full bases, fans were asked to the wave. Fans started the wave from the left side near the third base and ended it all the way to the right side. Everyone participated enthusiastically in hopes of Dodgers scoring home runs. Other norms that fans did to support the team when they were doing game was the Rally Hat. Fans got their hats and face them inside out. This is a way to give good luck. After every ending, it is a ritual that random fans get selected to appear on the cam. When people realized they were on the big screen they would get all hyped and start dancing or act silly. When its the 7th inning all the fans stand up to stretch after seating for hours. This is a popular time for fans to out of the seventh inning. During the stretch the crowd is pushed to sing, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”. Throughout centuries norms are being created and practiced by fans.

The values are the fundamental beliefs about what is important, true or beautiful, and what makes a good life. (Guest,2016:A:9). The values of culture are not fixed. The cultural values are debated. In the culture of Dodger fanaticism consist of many different values. For example, part of the crowd shows up to the game with catching gloves. The meaning behind the catching glove is the hope to catch a foul ball or home run. The crowds push each other trying to catch a foul ball. Fans who catch a ball throughout a game will most likely display it in a showcase. Baseball consist of values that can teach individuals to have a good domineer. The game between the Dodgers and the Kansas Royals meant so much to the fans that Dodgers take the win. Winning against their rival team is so valuable and can be extremely sadden to lose.

A fan waiving its hand or whistling at a vendor that’s going up and down the aisle symbolizes that he or she wants to make a purchase. Hot dogs are sold at every baseball stadium but it is at the dodger stadium that you can only purchase the Dodger dog. Peanuts and cracker jacks are also part of baseball symbolism. Not so long-ago baseball games did not offer a big selection of snacks to purchase. Previously, the only two snacks that were sold at the games were peanuts and cracker jacks. In addition, a song was created named Peanuts and Cracker Jacks that is sung at the 7th inning. Any fanatic of baseball knows that peanuts and cracker jacks relate to baseball. The field had a huge LA sign, which symbolizes that it is the home of the Dodgers. To some fans the closer it got for the 9th inning to end, indicated that it was time to leave. Leaving before the game ended will allow them to avoid heavy traffic when trying to exit the park. If fans left after the game completely finished, they would encounter waiting a long period of time to completely exit the park.

In conclusion, the idea of baseball is a team, outfit, a section a gang, and a union. No matter the social stratification a fan can be in, when it comes to the game everyone is a one whole family. In the same form that countries are stratified into structures of rich and poor sports are also stratified into a global hierarchy. Norms and values are shared among the fans. Everyone unites to cheer for the Dodgers. They all share the same symbols that represent their team colors. They show support by wearing the teams attire and baseball caps that represent their baseball team. Behaviors are very similar among the fans. They stand up together and pledge to the American Flag. Fans also unite to distract the opposing team batter to prevent from making a hit. They get together and make distraction loud noise or shout “Hey batter batter”. This shows that it does not matter your social stratification. Everyone becomes a whole family when it comes to helping out their team. However, the experience can be different to each fan depending on their social stratification. It is obvious that be sectioning the stadium allows to separate fans by their stratification. From an anthropological perspective about Dodger fanaticism is view as a structural functionalism.