When was baseball best for you?

[Dtwncbad]

What decade was baseball best for you as a fan?  I am not asking when it was best as an Angel fan.  I am asking when you thought baseball itself was the most fun to follow.

My answer is the 1980s.  When I watch clips of baseball from the 80’s it brings me back to what I now consider the height of my love of following the game.

I am aware that this could be age related.  I was in my late teens and early twenties at that time.  I was old enough to know enough about the game and players to really enjoy the game analytically, and still young enough to be a little naively enamored with it emotionally.

The algorithm on Instagram has somehow figured this out and is feeding me lots of clips from that era.   It has made me realize that there was something different about my relationship with mlb overall during that time, and I wondered if others feel the same way about that time. . . Or if THEIR best decade with the game maybe corresponds with THEIR age?

Edited February 9 by Dtwncbad

[Vegas Halo Fan]

The 1960s. It was when I first became acquainted with the game. Players were heroes and seemed larger than life. Seeing a game on television was a rare treat, because we only got one game per week. Salaries were more in line with the general public, and players didn't constantly jump from team to team chasing money.

[warped]

Late 70s to mid 80s

[Jay]

When I was a kid.

[Deek]

October 2002...

[Taylor]

15 minutes ago, Jay said:

When I was a kid.

So well before the Angels were even around.

[halodground]

I know there are lots of ethical quandaries related to the Steroid Era, but baseball was a ton of fun to watch in the late 90s thru the mid aughts. Bonds was a marvel to behold. The McGwire-Sosa home run chase was a blast to experience. Some incredible pitching performances in there too. Epic stats were common place. And in retrospect, some of the performances that weren’t typical of the era or obviously roid fueled, like peak Pedro Martinez, Erty’s 2000 season, or even the 2002 Halo’s season (I know there were plenty of roids used by that team, but it was considered a “throwback” style team at the time) are even more remarkable. It was a fun time to be a fan in general and an incredible time to be an Angel fan.

Edited February 10 by halodground

[SlappyUtilityMIF]

Summer 1980 was when we started with cable and I was able to watch the Cubs WGN during the day, Braves TBS at 4:30pm and go to the Halo game at 7:35pm... I was a fan of the Halos earlier in the 70's we would ride our bikes to the stadium and watch the games and baseball games we would watch on tv. There was nothing other than the game of the week on Saturday mid day.

[Second Base]

Late 2000's and early 2010's. . Got to know many prospects and scouts on a personal level. Had job offers.. Everyone was going to be a major leaguer, super rosy red outlook, as my reputation still precedes. 

Naivity is blissful. 

[Blarg]

Every damn game the Angels have played. Baseball sucks right now because Spring Training hasn't started. 

[Jay]

4 hours ago, Taylor said:

So well before the Angels were even around.

Before your dad realized he should have used a condom.

[Erstad Grit]

The Summer of Sosa and McGwire was really special in the moment. 

[ScottT]

Age 11-12.  I  killed it.

[Lhalo]

8 hours ago, Erstad Grit said:

The Summer of Sosa and McGwire was really special in the moment. 

That was cringe for me due to their cartoonish roided out bodies. I liked the 80’s better. There were a few guys on the shit (bash bros. etc) but it was peak baseball cards, shitty multipurpose stadiums and of course Moganna. 

[AngelsMetsWS]

1985. First year I had parental clearance to take the train to Shea Stadium. 

[Chuck]

13 hours ago, Blarg said:

Every damn game the Angels have played. Baseball sucks right now because Spring Training hasn't started. 

This. 

Though like someone else said in this thread, I'm most fond of my days following the Angels and baseball in general by listening to the games on the radio, watching on tv and being the first one to retrieve the newspaper in the driveway so I can check out the box score and read the recap. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Another thing about the 1960s: All World Series games were day games, so both my fourth grade (1964, Cardinals-Yankees) and fifth grade (1965, Dodgers-Twins) teachers brought in a television from the A/V department so that we could watch the games in class.

[Dgar24]

Late 70’s till now. 
From breakfast with the sports page, alol Angels info I could find and finish up with Dodger info. (I didn’t know you couldn’t have both back then.) Baseball practice in afternoons or whiffle ball. Radio in evening or night. Good times…. Best of all the ballgames coached or watched with my wife and boys. Now I get my fix on angelswin.com. 

 

[T.G.]

Even though I have been an Angels fan since the 60's, 1971 was special for me. The Pirates captured my attention and it was the first year the WS was played at night. It was the first time I could actually stay glued to the TV.

As an Angels fan, the years from 2002 to 2009 will always be special, but I really enjoyed the 90's for just baseball in general. I was an avid fantasy baseball guy and I knew the names of every player on every team and had a great knowledge of all the prospects. I watched more baseball on TV than at any previous time in my life.

Now, guys will pop up for any number of reasons, and I won't have any idea of who they are. 

I really only follow the Angels now.

[EDinTUSTIN]

21 hours ago, Blarg said:

Every damn game the Angels have played. Baseball sucks right now because Spring Training hasn't started. 

I feel the same way.

[EDinTUSTIN]

1 hour ago, T.G. said:

Even though I have been an Angels fan since the 60's, 1971 was special for me. The Pirates captured my attention and it was the first year the WS was played at night. It was the first time I could actually stay glued to the TV.

As an Angels fan, the years from 2002 to 2009 will always be special, but I really enjoyed the 90's for just baseball in general. I was an avid fantasy baseball guy and I knew the names of every player on every team and had a great knowledge of all the prospects. I watched more baseball on TV than at any previous time in my life.

Now, guys will pop up for any number of reasons, and I won't have any idea of who they are. 

I really only follow the Angels now.

Hahahaha. I just noticed the your quote for your location.  I am thinking along the same lines as what you have written. I don't necessarily have a favorite time period, but '02-'09 was indeed special. I also enjoyed the Ryan years as well. I am getting a bit grumpy due to the preponderance of greed as it has to do with broadcasting rights and gauging the average sports fan, but these are the times we are living in.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

23 hours ago, SlappyUtilityMIF said:

Summer 1980 was when we started with cable and I was able to watch the Cubs WGN during the day, Braves TBS at 4:30pm and go to the Halo game at 7:35pm... I was a fan of the Halos earlier in the 70's we would ride our bikes to the stadium and watch the games and baseball games we would watch on tv. There was nothing other than the game of the week on Saturday mid day.

TBS was a huge deal in the south, and it was how I got  heavily hooked on the Braves, even when the teams were bad.

Before TBS and the proliferation of cable, we would get occasional Braves games at different times, usually on the independent stations.

Edited February 11 by Vegas Halo Fan

[Duren, Duren]

The seventies when the Expos expansion team got going.  I was able to go to games easily and listened or watched most games on radio/tv. Jarry Park was fun and intimate. It was cool seeing players I knew from baseball cards in person. I pretty much ignored baseball after the steroid revelations and the move of the Expos. And got more involved  again when I focused on the Angels about fifteen years ago. I did like them casually before then but didn't have access to broadcasts of the their games in earlier decades.

[Tank]

when i first discovered baseball, about 67-72. i loved everything about it - the uniforms, the 100th anniversary patch, the look of the batting helmets, the old stadiums and all of their quirky features before the cookie-cutter stadiums and double-knit pullover jerseys ruined the landscape. 

i started following the angels for two reasons - i loved the halo on top of their hats and helmets and wish like mad i could find an affordable one today; and secondly, when their tv broadcast would start, they had the best theme song ever, and i couldn't get enough of it. and then to hear dick enberg and don drysdale on the call just made what was perfect even more perfect, whatever that might be.

there was something perfect in the design of the batting helmets. not sure how to describe it, but they were an absolute beauty for me. 

[HaloBronco]

For me the 70’s and 80’s were the best years for baseball in general as far as MLB I’d pick the 80’s and the style/brand of baseball played then. Really loved those teams like the Royals and then Cardinal teams, gave me an appreciation for the small ball aspect of the game emphasizing Speed, pitching and defense, base running, stolen bases etc….

The Angels had a fun team to follow during the 80’s as well (Carew, Jackson, Grich, Downing just to name a few) managed by Gene Mauch. Really came close in 82 then again in 86. Loved those teams.