Major League Baseball

January 1, 2009

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner
245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10167

Dear Mr. Commissioner Selig and Major League Baseball,

I am a huge baseball fan. I grew up playing in the backyard with my dad, played little league with my friends, and currently play on a coed softball team as an adult. Baseball is an amazing sport. However, there is one element that has confused me as I grew up watching baseball on TV.

In the majors, why don’t players line up and shake hands after each game?

Growing up, we were taught to shake hands after each game. This courtesy is still emphasized and performed in the adult softball league I currently play in. It symbolizes fair play, good sportsmanship, and takes the emphasis off winning. When did this tradition get lost in the majors?

In nearly every other traditional sport, the players connect with each other after the game. Professional basketball players line up and shake hands, football players meet in the middle of the field to hug and pray, soccer players trade jerseys, etc. Baseball sets a poor example by allowing the players to leave the field without connecting with the other team, and many times the players even sulk of the field, kick a water-cooler, etc.

I am writing to ask that you encourage the players to line up after each game to shake hands. It is an act that we were taught as we grew up playing baseball and it should remain regardless of the level of play.

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response, consideration, and a brief explanation of why the players are not expected to shake hands after the games.

Sincerely,



Brian Mason
www.CustomYourService.com