Reflections on Baseball Identity Through Heart of a Fan

When Matthew Barry reached out to me to be part of his Heart of a Fan project, I took some time to understand what he was building before responding. What stood out right away is that Heart of a Fan is not just about sports.

It is about people.

Matthew’s work is rooted in his own experiences growing up around sports in New England, where he saw firsthand how the game could bring people together. From playing in a pep band, to leading student sections, to studying fandom at the graduate level, his focus has been on understanding how fans build emotional connections, not just with teams, but with each other.

That idea is important, especially today.

Because while the games are still being played, the way fans experience them has changed. Many of the traditional spaces where people gathered, whether it was in the stands, at local fields, or through shared rituals, have shifted into a more digital environment. The connection that once came naturally through proximity now requires more intention.

Heart of a Fan is built around that realization.

It explores how sports can still be a source of community, purpose and belonging in a world where those connections are not always as strong as they once were. It puts the focus back on the people, the fans, the communities and the shared experiences that give the game meaning beyond the scoreboard.

You can explore Matthew’s work here:

• https://heartofafan.org

And read the full article that brought these perspectives together here:

• https://www.heartofafan.org/stories/the-world-at-play

For this particular piece, Baseball Identity and the World Baseball Classic, the format was simple. A group of contributors from different parts of the baseball world were asked the same five questions. There were no follow-ups, no collaboration between contributors, just individual responses shaped by personal experience.

At first, it seems straightforward.

But once the article was published and I read through the different perspectives, it became clear how powerful that approach really was.

The Same Questions, Completely Different Perspectives

What stood out immediately was that no two answers were the same. Each response reflected where that person came from, their experiences in the game and how baseball fits into their culture.

Some spoke about history and tradition. Others focused on identity, community, or the role of fans. Some answers carried emotion, while others reflected structure and discipline. And yet, none of them conflicted.

They all fit together.

That’s when it really hit me. Baseball does not have a single identity. It reflects the identity of the people who live it. The game looks different depending on where you are in the world, but the meaning behind it is just as strong everywhere.

My Perspective Within That Conversation

When I wrote my responses, I spoke from my own journey. Growing up in Canada, in what is often considered a hockey country, baseball was not always front and center. But it was always present, connecting communities in quiet but meaningful ways. The roots of the game in this country run deeper than many people realize and that is something I came to appreciate even more while writing my book, Canadian Baseball Stories From Coast to Coast.

Like many Canadians, I was first drawn to the game as a fan. Watching the Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series in 1992 and 1993 was a defining moment for me. Those championships did more than just create excitement, they introduced the game to an entire generation.

My own path into baseball came a little later. I didn’t start playing until I was 12 years old, and coming from a family where my parents were from Italy and not very familiar with the game, baseball wasn’t something that was deeply rooted in our household. But like many immigrant families in Canada, sport became a bridge into the community. It was a way to connect, to learn and to belong.

From there, the game took me further than I could have imagined. By the time I was 18, I had earned a scholarship to Texarkana College and later Northwestern State University in Louisiana. I also had the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2003 World Baseball Challenge, competing against players from countries that are now part of the World Baseball Classic.

Now, as a coach, I’ve had the privilege of working with players who have gone on to represent their country on the international stage. At the time, I saw that as my story, but reading the article made me realize something more important.

That story exists everywhere.

It just sounds different depending on who is telling it.

Baseball Is a Reflection of Culture

One of the strongest themes throughout the piece was how deeply baseball is tied to culture.

In many Latin American countries, the game is played with visible energy and emotion. Music, movement and passion are part of the experience from the stands to the field. In Japan, the game reflects discipline, structure and precision, with fans creating an organized and unified atmosphere that becomes part of the experience. In Italy, baseball blends with identity and everyday culture, showing up in small but meaningful ways that reflect heritage and pride. In Canada, the game often mirrors the country itself, a mix of different backgrounds and influences coming together under one jersey.

None of these expressions are better than the others. They are simply different ways of experiencing the same game.

The Role of Joy in the Game

As I read through the different responses, one theme continued to surface.

Joy.

Not something forced or manufactured, but something genuine. You could see it in the players, in the dugouts and especially in the fans throughout the World Baseball Classic. There was a sense of freedom in how people experienced the game and that freedom created an atmosphere that felt real.

It also highlighted a contrast within the sport. In some environments, the game can feel controlled, where emotion is limited. In others, it feels open and alive. That difference is not about the rules of baseball.

It is about what the culture allows.

A Coaching Reflection

From a coaching perspective, that idea carries weight. Coaches play a major role in shaping the environment around the game. We influence how players think, how they act and how they express themselves. Sometimes, without realizing it, we limit the very qualities that make players unique.

There is a balance between discipline and freedom. Structure is important, but it should not come at the expense of identity. Players perform at their best when they are allowed to be themselves within the game. The World Baseball Classic showed what happens when that balance is right. High-level competition combined with authentic expression creates something powerful.

What the World Baseball Classic Teaches Us

This tournament reinforced something important. The game itself does not need to be changed to connect with people. What matters is how people are allowed to experience it.

Energy cannot be manufactured, passion cannot be scripted and joy cannot be forced. When the environment allows it, those things show up naturally. That is what people connected with throughout the tournament.

Final Thought

Being part of this project was not about having the best answer. It was about being one voice in a larger conversation, one that showed how a single game can carry many identities shaped by culture, experience and community.

I’m grateful to Matthew Barry for including me in this project and for the work he is doing with Heart of a Fan. Creating a platform where different voices, cultures and perspectives can be shared is something our game needs more of. Because in the end, baseball does not belong to one country.

It belongs to all of them.