Why We Love Sports: A Tribute to the Stories That Hook Us All

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a conversation on X where someone snarkily asked,

“What is it with men and sports that makes them get like this? I don’t understand, it’s weird.”

In a short reactionary response, I tried to explain,

"Guys get to watch people living their dreams, and competition is the most exciting and entertaining thing. Sports is constant storytelling through generations—it’s the memories a man has from his childhood with his father watching the games together, even after they’re gone. It’s a connection to friends; we make new friends who align with our team and its values."

I got a bit of abuse for saying ‘man’ but in my defence, it was in direct response to the person referencing ‘men’, something I can speak to.

Little did I know, just a few days later, an unforgettable moment would play out in real time—a moment that captured everything I had tried to put into words. Freddie Freeman stepped up in Game 1 of the World Series, hammering an unforgettable walk-off grand slam to secure the win.

As the pitch came hurtling toward him, Freeman swung with the precision of someone who had practised for this moment his entire life. The crack of the bat was unmistakable, a sound that instantly opened the eyes and mouths of the crowd and people like me watching on TV. The ball sailed high and deep, soaring over the fence and the stadium erupted in a celebration that was as much about that singular play as it was about everything Freeman represented—hard work, resilience, and poise under pressure.

It was the kind of moment that transcends the sport itself, a scene that made you feel like you were witnessing history. It wasn’t just a turning point in the game; it was a statement, a triumphant culmination of years of dedication, both for Freeman and for every fan watching.

His post-game reflection was as powerful as his hit:

"[My dad] has been there since I was a little boy, throwing batting practice to me every day. This isn’t my moment; it’s his moment."

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Freeman’s words were a reminder of how sports connect us across generations, uniting us through memories, dreams, and shared goals.

Growing up in the UK, I never had much exposure to baseball, only on my annual visits to the US for summer vacation. Any spotlight for American sports back then leaned more toward the NFL and some NBA due to the Michael Jordan phenomenon, with baseball often taking a back seat. But I spent quite a lot of time in LA this year and felt caught up in the narratives, especially in the hype around Shohei Ohtani’s incredible season and now in the World Series with Freeman’s epic moment. This feeling, this total immersion, is what sports is all about.

For those who find sports baffling or even “weird,” stories like Freeman’s reveal a different dimension. Sports are more than just a contest. They’re about storytelling, memory, and legacy. They’re about fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, sharing a lifelong bond over favourite teams, heated games, and historic moments. It’s these connections that endure long after the game is finished, becoming a bridge to loved ones, memories, and shared values.

For us, the fans, sports build friendships and communities that stretch beyond mere wins and losses. The values a team embodies often resonate with our own, and in following them, we find a shared language and camaraderie. Even someone like me—an outsider to baseball—can be swept up in its stories.

Ultimately, sports celebrate more than the athletes on the field; they celebrate the fans in the stands, families gathered in living rooms, and friendships forged over years of shared allegiance. Whether we grasp every rule or understand every stat, we’re drawn in by the thrill, the drama, and the connection. Sports is a universal language that unites us, a world of stories we all understand in our own way.

This, at its core, is why we love sports.

Thanks for reading, David.

This was originally posted on the Culture of Sport Substack, part of the Faze 3 network.