Sports are designed to facilitate the creation of memories; the companionship of watching a game or match with someone, the camaraderie of screaming in unison with thousands, the agony of defeat and the ecstasy of victory.
Baseball, in particular, lends itself to preserving minutiae with its long history, churning rosters and breadth of stats. “Remembering Some Guys” is, after all, a popular activity and segment on many a podcast. Miscellaneous years, facts, names, numbers wriggle deep into the recesses of our brains, unbidden, taking up residence with impunity.
I’m often amazed and a bit appalled in equal measure by the capacity with which my brain has retained some truly useless baseball information (Nobody needs to know how to spell “Rzpecyznski” from memory), and am certain I’m not alone in that sentiment around here.