Sports Events in United States of America

You do not need a guide, or pack horses. There are lots of well marked trails some in national parks, other in state parks and some through other public lands. The dangers are limited because of the relative benign nature of the wildlife. There are exceptions in some areas where one can find are rattle snakes, grizzly bears or ticks, etc. There are lengths and difficulties to match almost all abilities and interests.

Equipment: Light weight gear is readily available as is light trail food. Buy what you need before you get to the wilderness areas to save a lot of money. Even the large discount stores like Wal-mart and K-mart have pretty extensive selections of gear at good prices.

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Folks, bowling is not yet up my alley. How Lee talked me into going here in August, 2005 is beyond me, but I won't let some heavy ball make a monkey out of me any time soon. Games are normally $6 and bowling shoes are about another $5. (There is a reason why I often say uglier than a rented bowling shoe: see third picture.) They have it written on there security device embedded. Who would want to steal something that ugly? It is often more economical to go as a large group to rent out a lane for a period of 2 hours. Lee and Bill bowled well, but as for me, well, that's something else. I am getting better over time. I would have done better still in March, 2006 if Lee and the other clowns in my group didn't put their balls on the alley when I was trying to bowl and if Lee didn't put ice in my shoes.

Equipment: You can bring your own ball and shoes, but they have that stuff there already.

In the USA, various sports form leagues to cultivate youthful interest in that sport. My friend Lee coaches a baseball team called the Cyclones. They were invited on 27-28 May to the state tournament in Covington, Virginia. Almost any sport has a type of little league, but the most popular sports are baseball, softball, basketball, football, and soccer. Pictured is the Mechanicsville Cyclones versus the Franklin County Elite. They lost 3-9 in that game, but went on to win 13-2 against the Chilhowie Rattlers. The game was stopped in the 4th inning because this league has a slaughter rule which ends a game where one team is winning by more than 10 points.

Equipment: A baseball bat, a ball, and a glove are needed.

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well done "Canes"
we Canadians were obviouly cheering for our local opponents
the Edmonton Oilers to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada
maybe next year
but
Hockey Trivia ? how many members of the Canes are from Canada?

Putt Putt Golf & Games is a fun area franchised all across the United States. It is mainly known for its mini golf courses, but there are other activities such as go cart racing, bumper boats, a game room, and there is a canteen where folks can eat and drink between activities. Lee, Bill, and I went there to try out go cart racing and mini golf. I wasn't too keen on the go cart races at that age, but I improved impressively at mini golf over the weeks. In 36 holes, I made 4 holes-in-one. I went into both things with no illusions or delusions: if I didn't crack up the go cart with me in it and if I shot below 90 on the mini golf, I could hold my head up high. The important thing is being able laugh at myself and have fun.

Equipment: They provide all the equipment you need.

Unlike many countries, in the United States, public schools sponsor sport programmes. High school football is an autumn ritual all from Maine to Hawaii. Usually, the games take place on Friday evenings, with Saturdays reserved as a makeup day in case of bad weather. The photo (please enlarge) shows the 2005 homecoming game at Lee-Davis High School. Traditionally, homecoming games are set up such that the home team plays against a team they could most easily beat. However, the Armstrong Wildcats hammered the Lee-Davis Confederates 38-13 and then had the cheek to do a victory circuit around our track. Despite the loss (due to the graduation of a few key players), I had fun hanging out with my younger friends Adam, Will, Katy, and Lee (all Lee-Davis graduates) and Jessi (Lee's girlfriend).

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Baseball has been a passion in the US for a long time and now it is also played in many other countries (particularly Latin America and Japan).

Most cultures have some type of stick and ball game. Most historians agree that baseball is based on the English game of rounders. Throughout the early part of that century, small towns formed "townball" teams, and baseball clubs were formed in larger cities. Although popular legend says that the game was invented by Abner Doubleday, baseball's true father was Alexander Cartwright who in 1845 formalized a list of rules by which all teams could play. The first recorded baseball contest took place a year later, in 1846. Cartwright's Knickerbockers lost to the New York Baseball Club in a game at the Elysian Fields, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

In 1866, Charles A. Peverelly wrote, "The game of baseball has now become beyond question the leading feature of the outdoor sports of the United States ... It is a game which is peculiarly suited to the American temperament and disposition; ... in short, the pastime suits the people, and the people suit the pastime."

Equipment: To watch baseball, all you need is a ticket to the ballpark. Most ballparks have internet ticket sales. The URL will tell you the Major League Baseball schedule.

To PLAY the game, you need balls (obviously) and bats, plus the catcher's protective gear, and mitts for the team out in the fiels and batting helmets for the team at bat.

Starting in April and ending with the World Series in October, Major League Baseball's 30 teams play a massive 162 games in the regular season. Beyond that there is spring training in the preseason and the playoffs as well. So there are a lot of games available to see. If you have never seen a professional baseball game in the United States, it is definitely worth seeing in person. Most people don't like baseball too much on television. But going to the park and seeing it in person is really worth it. The experience, sights, sounds, and smells make it all worth it. The following U.S. cities have professional baseball teams.

(Anaheim) Los Angeles Angels (California)
(Arlington) Texas Rangers
Atlanta Braves (Georgia)
Baltimore Orioles (Maryland)
Boston Red Sox (Massachusetts)
Chicago Cubs (Illinois)
Chicago White Sox (Illinois)
Cincinnati Reds (Ohio)
Cleveland Indians (Ohio)
(Denver) Colorado Rockies
Detroit Tigers (Michigan)
Houston Astros (Texas)
Kansas City Royals (Missouri)
Los Angeles Dodgers (California)
(Miami) Florida Marlins
Milwaukee Brewers (Wisconsin)
(Minneapolis) Minnesota Twins
New York Mets (NYC)
New York Yankees (NYC)
Oakland Athletics (California)
Philadelphia Phillies (Pennsylvania)
(Phoenix) Arizona Diamondbacks
Pittsburgh Pirates (Pennsylvania)
San Diego Padres (California)
San Francisco Giants (California)
Seattle Mariners (Washington)
St. Louis Cardinals (Missouri)
Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Florida)
Washington Nationals (D.C.)