Last summer I undertook a difficult and time-intensive mission, one that would change a life for the better. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, and I knew there would be a lot of resistance, but I also knew it had to be done. I wanted to show my best friend that baseball is the best spectator sport in the world. As a long-time baseball fan, I knew the joys of the game and how it would make his life at least a million times better. It would bring excitement and joy into his life, not to mention he would get to spend more quality time with me.

My mission began in early May when our National Honor Society club won tickets to an Arizona Diamondbacks game. At the game were my friend, a few other guys in our club, and me. Sure, the seats were high enough that we were sitting with some birds, but they were free! I was thrilled, but the boys weren’t quite as excited. Partway through the game one of the boys pointed at the jumbo screen and asked, “Why does it say shortstop next to his name? Does it mean his hits stop short of home runs every time?” Aghast at the ignorance of my peers, my cause was born.

What many people don’t realize about baseball is that its simplicity makes it a beautiful game to watch. Unlike more popular sports, such as soccer and football, baseball doesn’t have fouls that constantly stop the game and send players out. Being easy to understand makes it accessible to everybody.

Baseball is simple, but exciting. The echo of a bat connecting with the ball and sending it soaring into the stands is unparalleled. The dives and slides into bases are show-stopping, as the player’s zest for the game is so intense that they literally throw themselves into the dirt to play their best. Seeing the pitches is jaw-dropping, especially when the jumbo screen displays the speeds. The ability to throw a ball over one hundred miles per hour and precisely control where it goes is incredible. Many of us can barely throw a crumpled paper into a nearby recycling bin. Players have also made stunning leaps to catch a ball. A home run takes an insane amount of skill and strength, not to mention the ability to deal with pressure, especially when it’s for a grand slam. The strength and precision that go into a baseball game is unmatched by any other sport.

Some may argue that a baseball game simply continues for too long or that it’s not constant action. The truth is that this is the real beauty of baseball. Baseball may not be the action movie of sports, but if it were a movie, it would be the one with the best plot. It shows each character and provides their story and shows them doing their best and their worst. It’s the movie worth seeing. Like a quality movie, it’s also got the best soul food snacks, with popcorn, cotton candy, and of course, hot dogs.

The one difference between good cinema and baseball is that you’re allowed to talk during baseball. Because baseball isn’t a fast-moving compilation of explosions, it’s easy to talk and bond with the people you’re with. One of my very favorite memories of baseball occurred a couple of weeks later, the second time my friend and I went to a baseball game. The Diamondbacks were batting and up next was number three, Daniel Descalso. The announcer bellowed his name and suddenly my shoe was off my foot and in my friend’s hand. I was completely confused as I watched him wave the shoe in the air shouting “Descalso! Descalso!” as his cheeks grew Diamondback red from excitement. My friend was hooked. My mission had been accomplished for the very small price of a sneaker. After Descalso batted, I got my shoe back and asked what had just happened. My friend told me that in Spanish “descalso” means barefoot, so of course he had to take my shoe. This habit of shoe-stealing quickly became a tradition every time Descalso came up to the plate. Somehow Descalso played in every game we went to that summer.

The cheering crowds are another amazing part of baseball. In what other sport is there somebody waving around a shoe? A baseball game has its own iconic songs and chants like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and the crowd always sings along. Even though some people may not have the best singing voice, the sound of a stadium full of people singing together creates an amazing feeling of unity. Events like a home run or a grand slam will evoke the loudest cheers ever to be heard on this planet. Even the quietest person will feel compelled to shout at the top of their lungs, even when a man turns around and says, “Whoa, that’s a chick yelling!”

My mission succeeded: my friend is now an official baseball fan. His favorite team is the Diamondbacks, of course. What made him learn to appreciate the game were the same qualities that made me fall in love with it. It’s the simultaneous calm and excitement of the game, the rambunctiously cheering fans, the talented players, and the memories created with the people we care about. Baseball is the best spectator sport because it combines all of these qualities and more, constantly producing memorable moments and a connection to an entire stadium full of people.