Catholic Faith, Baseball and October Glory
by Joe Marateo
Every fall, when Major League Baseball’s playoffs arrive, stadiums across the country come alive with passion, ritual, and hope. While there is no formal link between the Catholic Church and the baseball postseason, history shows that the two have often moved in harmony, shaped by immigrant roots, community life and the enduring values of perseverance and unity.
Baseball grew up in the same neighborhoods where Catholic parishes flourished. Irish, Italian, Polish, and Latin American immigrants filled both the pews and the bleachers in cities like Boston, New York, St. Louis and Chicago. Catholic schools and parish leagues gave countless children their first chance to play the game. In those days, priests often coached, Nuns cheered and entire parish communities gathered around the diamond. Imagine Father Kris as a Baseball Coach. I could…..
Many of baseball’s legends were Catholic, from Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio to Roberto Clemente and Mike Piazza. Their talent brought pride to their teams, but their faith grounded them.
The drama of October baseball mirrors lessons of Scripture. St. Paul used the image of athletes competing for a prize to encourage perseverance in the life of faith. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24. And, like a baseball team relying on one another, Scripture reminds us of the strength that is found in unity: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
Baseball’s postseason is filled with rituals, anticipation, and community spirit, not unlike the rhythm of the Church’s liturgical life. With each October, when the playoffs take place during the Catholic Church’s Month of the Rosary, the faithful are reminded that both faith and baseball call for patience, discipline, and hope.
The baseball season is a long 162 games over six months, much like Ordinary Time in the Church, which is steady, rhythmic and formative. By the time October arrives, every game matters more, just as the final weeks of Ordinary Time matters as we shift our focus to eternity, judgment, and Christ’s kingship.
Teams play all year for the chance at a championship. Likewise, as the Church year closes, readings remind us of the final goal of the Christian life. The eternal life in Christ.
Once the World Series is decided, players and fans turn their eyes toward the next season with new hope. In the Church, after the solemnity of Christ the King, we enter Advent, a season of waiting in hope for the coming of Christ. Both moments carry the same spirit: the end is not final, but a new beginning.
In the end, while the Catholic Church and baseball’s playoffs are not formally connected, their histories often intertwine. Both shape our communities, both inspire people to strive for greatness and both remind us that victory is sweetest when shared as we also strive for eternal life.