Episode 47: Unwritten Rules

Fernando Tatis Jr., a prophet brought to San Diego by the baseball gods, recently sparked controversy when hitting a grand slam in a manner that violated one of the many “unwritten rules” of America’s national pastime. While the remaining purists continue to insist the unwritten rules provide important guidelines for how to play the game the “right way”, the majority of grandstanders in the sports world have made it loud and clear they find these codes irrational and antiquated. 

On this episode of Grandstand Podcast we talk unwritten rules, their absurdity as well as their social value. Whether it be within the sport of baseball or the cultural groups that raise us there are these implicit codes that serve as our tribal shibboleths traditionally passed down over generations. But even after those codes become deeply ingrained within the cultural DNA of a group their value and importance will inevitably become questioned. Are baseball’s codes really about having respect for the game or is that a guise to protect the fragile ego of one player - the pitcher? In today’s American society where one is an individual first, before a member of a collective whole, is baseball ready to just “let the kids play”, strive for individual success and discard the virtues of restraint, respect and humility toward others? Similarly, beyond the diamond, after a long day of hard work are we ready to stop giving up our seat on the bus to entitled old ladies? What would Jesus do? Or does the Grandstand not care anymore?