This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UGA chapter.
Every year, when October rolls around, most of the hype involves pumpkin spice lattes, the best Halloween costumes, and haunted houses. What you might not know, however, is that October for sports fanatics solely means baseball playoffs. Now, you might be the one that can give all the boys a run for their money about baseball statistics and players. If you’re that person, props to you. If you’re not, but you will somehow find yourself watching a game this week, here’s your quick education on the World Series. After reading this, you’ll be able to keep up with the lingo, follow the conversations, and impress your friends.
- First things first. The series is between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox. Knowing the teams is a huge plus. And the World Series is potentially a seven game series. Whoever wins four games first, wins.
- If the announcers talk about David Ortiz hitting a homerun over “The Green Monster”, they’re referring to the huge green fence in the outfield at the park.
- “Big Papi” is David Ortiz. He’s the Red Sox first baseman who is a hero in Boston. Fun fact: He called everyone “papi” when he first came to Boston, not knowing anyone’s names. So, his teammates, in turn, started using it for him, and the name stuck with not only his teammates, but all of baseball.
- The big veteran this year is Carlos Beltran. He’s been to the Allstar game eight times but has never won a World Series. The Cardinals love him, and they’re trying their best to win it for him. Make sure to cheer for him!
- Baseball superstitions get out of control during playoffs. The ridiculous amount of beards you will see on both teams is not normal during the regular season, but many players don’t shave their beards until they lose during the postseason.
- If all else fails, and you just can’t get into the game, check out Jacoby Ellsbury. He’s the center fielder for the Red Sox. Most guys think he’s fun to watch play because he’s talented, but let’s face it, he’s mostly fun to look at.