Baseball remains one of the most popular sports in the U.S. It's not really that surprising that it is so popular. It has elements of things that people always enjoy – teamwork, a thrill like you may get from Party poker and the athletic part. On top of that it has been part of American history for a long time. Although American football is more popular and generates more revenue, attendance in MLB and MLB Ballpark Trips are very popular, as well as North American Minor League Ballparks and North American Independent League Ballparks. Many of today's MLB players born in the U.S. played in some of the Best NCAA Ballparks and some of the Best North American College Summer League Ballparks, including Alaska: The Last Frontier.

And to the non-U.S. born baseball player, MLB in America is what comes to mind when they think of the sport. After all, MLB is where the game’s best players play – not just those born in America, but from all parts of the world. Learn more about baseball in the U.S. and the World Baseball Classic by purchasing World in a Ballpark: Baseball Goes Global, which is available at the Buy Joe's Guides page. If you want to view a sample of the guide and how easy the guide works, visit the MLB Ballpark Trips page.

QUICK UNITED STATES BASEBALL FACTS

Most Known For: Where they play the best baseball in the world in the best ballparks in the world; Where those players make a ton of money.

Baseball’s U.S. Debut: There is still some debate as to the exact timeframe, but for certain, baseball was born in the U.S. In 1791, a town bylaw passed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts banned the playing of baseball within 80 yards of the town meeting house. Professional baseball began in the U.S. around the mid 1860’s and the National League was founded in 1876.

Biggest Sports Competitors: U.S. football; basketball; golf; hockey; alternative sports.

America’s Best Baseballtown: Open for debate but Boston, New York and St. Louis could lay claim, given their historically high MLB-attendance numbers and history.

Baseball Hot Beds: Although baseball is “America’s Pastime,” American football is the most popular team sport in the U.S. Warm weather states like California, Arizona, Texas and Florida enable aspiring ballplayers to play year-round however, and MLB is also very popular in cities like San Francisco and elsewhere.

No. of U.S.-born currently signed to MLB organizations: Too many to count.

Some Notable Current U.S.-Born MLB Players: Derek Jeter (Born 1974 in Pequannock, NJ); Randy Johnson (Born 1963 in Walnut Creek, CA).

U.S.-Born MLB Record-Breakers: Joe DiMaggio (most consecutive games with a hit, 56); Ted Williams (last player to bat .400; hit .406 in 1941); Henry Aaron (most home runs all-time, 744); Barry Bonds (most home runs in a season, 73).

Some Notable MLB Hall-of-Famers (very abbreviated list): Ty Cobb (born in 1886 in Narrows, Georgia); Cy Young (born 1890 in Gilmore, Ohio); Jackie Robinson (first African-American to play Major League Baseball, born 1919 in Cairo, Georgia); Joe DiMaggio (born 1914 in Martinez, California); Ted Williams (born in 1918 in San Diego, Calif.); Mickey Mantle (Born 1931 in Spavinaw, Oklahoma); Babe Ruth

Baseball Weather: Favorable almost year-round in the Southwest and Florida; favorable everywhere else most of the MLB season, from April to September.

Best Baseball Museum: National Baseball Hall of Fame (www.baseballhalloffame.org/).

Distintcly America: MLB is the only baseball league in the world to employ multiple “retractable roof” ballparks. The roof on about a half-dozen MLB ballparks can open or close during play without distracting the participants or fans.

Quotable: "Everywhere around the world, they’re coming to America.” – Neil Diamond.