Essential Flags and Banners for Baseball Fans

There are many major sports that America takes credit for creating, like basketball and American football. They have extremely large fan bases and popularity that has spread across the globe. However, if there is one sport that Americans take ownership of more than any other, it has to be baseball. Due to the number of people who played the sport as children, it’s no wonder it has come to be known as America's favorite pastime. The real origins of baseball are murky. However, historians do agree that it is loosely based on a British game called “rounders,” according to English sportswriter Henry Chadwick. Regardless of its origins, baseball has become a part of America’s identity and culture.

Baseball’s Early Popularity

In the mid-19th century, baseball became popular mostly with smaller clubs in the northeast. Although it was also known as town ball or base and baseball, the first mention was in 1791, when it was prohibited to play it within 80 meters of the town meeting house in Massachusetts. A list of rules was officially formalized by Alexander Cartwright in 1845, including new guidelines, scoring and the record-keeping that gave baseball weight as a serious sport. Record keeping in baseball is an essential part of the game. For example, for most Americans, it is common knowledge that one of the most famous baseball players of all time, Babe Ruth, scored a total of 714 home runs throughout his career.

The First Official Baseball League

The forming of a professional baseball league first came about in 1871. In the early 1900s, most major cities in the U.S. had a professional baseball team. However, it was only in the 1920s that baseball took on a real national identity.

The Expansion of Baseball

In the 1950’s, baseball began to expand its reach, with east-coast teams moving west. The Boston Braves relocated their team to Milwaukee, along with a host of other teams like the New York Giants migrating to California. Major League Baseball has been divided by the American League and National League since the beginning. Right up until 1970, due to very strict contracts, owners of Major League baseball teams owned the players that came with the teams. Since the 1970s however, professional baseball players have been free to switch to other teams, provided contractual obligations have been met. This has led to fierce bidding wars and players being paid millions of dollars per contract. Debate rages among the fans and commentators whether baseball is a business first and a sport second or visa versa. The highest level a baseball player can reach is Major League Baseball (MLB), made up of teams from across North America and Canada. In addition to Major League Baseball, there are also several amateur leagues, which include little league, high school leagues, university leagues and a number of different community leagues.

Baseball Fans

No major sport would be complete without its armies of fans, and baseball fans have expressed pride in their favorite teams since the sport’s inception. Part of a baseball fan’s arsenal is the baseball flag and the baseball banner. Many fans own at least one flag, but it is common to own several because many teams produce several different styles. All our flags are proudly made in America, and we carry officially licensed MLB flags for the National and American League baseball teams, which ensures the flags are made with authentic team logos and colors, as well as high-quality fabrics. If you want to make a statement in your fan cave or even in your front yard, consider one of our 27-inch x 37-inch machine washable and durable polyester baseball banners. Some fans use their team’s flag to proudly display their allegiance at tailgating parties. Others use their flags to showcase their team on their vehicle. Our car flags have a two-sided imprint and are made with a durable knit polyester, so you can show your support for your favorite team all year long. For a subtler approach or if your yard space is limited, consider an officially licensed garden flag to show your baseball pride all season long. These durable polyester flags are weather resistant, hang beautifully from a garden flag pole, and feature the same official emblems of your favorite team. Baseball fans love to fly the flags of their hometown team, and our MLB flags ship within 24 hours, so we’ve got you covered anytime you want to fly your team’s flag!