In the sport of baseball one aspect that has started to evolve over the past couple years is the art of celebrating. Players have become noticeably more excited after making a big play or collecting a key strikeout. 

This part of the sport I feel needs to be embraced by the league as they hope to continue to grow the sport across the country. Players at the Major League level such as Fernando Tatis, Jr. and Ronald Acuna have been noted for their flair and bat flips which is helping grow a bigger audience. 

This weekend, when Wichita State baseball hosted East Carolina, the Pirates celebrated in a unique way. After ECU hit a homerun they celebrated by having that player put a traffic cone over their head.

I feel that this is a unique and exciting way for the team to celebrate. To go along with this celebration, the majority of the team would also come out of the dugout to show their excitement for the recent. College baseball has struggled in growing its brand in comparison to sports such as basketball and football but I feel these celebrations could be a turning point. 

Different college teams have come up with similar celebrations like Thor’s hammer among others. By doing this, it allows for fans to become more interested in baseball because of the amount of emotion being shown by the players and in turn makes the fans more passionate about the teams. 

Baseball needs to continue to embrace these types of celebrations, especially in the MLB. Previously, pitchers would throw at hitters if they would celebrate too much after hitting a home run. But now players must adapt to the new age and era of baseball. 

If pitchers are upset with the hitters showing emotion after hitting a homer off of them, they should put that energy towards trying to strike them and celebrating the same way. It shouldn’t be uncommon for these players to show that type of emotion as well and it shows that these players are truly passionate about the sport. 

By showing this type of emotion after a big play, it also allows for the players’ personality to be shown more through their passion for the sport. The MLB has lacked in showcasing their players to the fans in recent years and getting their full personality out there. But by letting these players embrace themselves instead of being scared of the possible consequences that may have come in years previous. 

These celebrations should be viewed as a good thing for the sport. Letting players at the highest level get excited because of something they did on the field reminds them why they decided to play the sport in the first place. And for a sport struggling to grow to the younger audience, getting these players personality through these celebrations can truly pay dividends in the long run.