Sports are always a challenge to pick up if you have never played them before. However, that could depend on your level of fitness and overall hand-eye coordination. Some sports require you to run a long distance while others require you to micromanage a ball while also coordinating with your teammates and trying to outplay the opposing players.
Baseball is not a sport which is as dynamic as soccer or rugby, but, it has its nuances. Should you try it? Let us make a couple of points and see which one works the best for you.
Baseball is Relatively Safe
No sport is safe. If you have not been warmed up and you start doing dynamic moves out of the blue, the likelihood of injury grows by the second. That part has nothing to do with sports. However, the baseball itself is pretty heavy for a ball and made out of a dense material, so that it can fly through the air after a proper hit.
That is why baseball catchers wear protective gear, and why a baseball catcher’s glove is a must. That does not mean that you would be put against a professional pitcher for your first batting experience. Baseball can be fun even if you are not the next Honus Wagner.
Baseball Has Easier Alternatives
For those who think that baseball might be too dangerous for them, there are alternatives in the form of softball. Softball is a sport where you play to the same rules of baseball, but the ball is larger and a lot softer, hence the name. The field is smaller, so those who are not as fit can also play and eventually score a home run even after a weaker hit.
Typically, the larger ball and smaller fields make the game of softball easier and a better choice for beginners. If you figure that regular baseball might be too fast, softball is a safer option.
Professional or Recreational Baseball?
This is a question that you should ask yourself, whether you want to play baseball recreationally or would you like to go professional. There are leagues for older people, but playing in the MLB is most likely not an option for anybody older than 30, who just started playing.
But, not everything has to be competitive at the highest level. It is perfectly fine to play a game of baseball with a bunch of friends and have a great afternoon. Think of it as golf, but more exciting and with a lot more running.
Baseball is technically for everybody who is willing to take up a bat and hit, or who has a relatively good throw. Try softball if baseball seems like too much for starters. Either way, it is a great sport, and it might be the right one as your next recreational activity.