5 MLB traditions we'll miss most in 2020

Baseball has undergone various minor changes over the years, but the foundation of the sport is about to be rocked. Without fans in the stands, the gameday experience will be radically altered. Here are the five traditions we’ll miss most in 2020.

5. The "Beat The Freeze" Race

One of baseball’s most beloved new traditions is the nightly "Beat The Freeze" race at the Braves’ Truist Park, which has been held since 2017. "The Freeze" is actually Nigel Talton, a member of Atlanta’s grounds crew, who is overqualified for a promotional race against Joe Q. Public. But he typically gives his opposition a large head start – only to catch and pass them late in the race.

The fate of the "Beat The Freeze" race, which is typically held during TV breaks, is unknown. Even if it continues, it will feel scripted without fans present.

In related news, the Tomahawk Chop, the Braves’ other noteworthy tradition, could be on the way out.

4. Autograph signings

Childhood memories are often evoked when we bear witness to kids pleading with players for autographs at the dugout or down the railings. Many players will often take a few minutes to appease their fans, especially in the minor leagues. This kind of access to the athletes is unparalleled in most other sports.

3. Catching foul balls/home runs

Almost universally regarded as the coolest souvenir in sports is a game-used baseball. Whether it’s a harmless foul ball or a moonshot home run that landed in your hands, moments like that are often unforgettable. Fan catches periodically appear on SportsCenter Top 10s throughout the summer, but that won’t be the case in 2020.

2. Giveaway days

If you’re not lucky enough to go home with a foul ball, you can at least take home the promotional item you came to get when you bought the ticket. From bobbleheads to jerseys, giveaways are the gifts that keep on giving for both fans and teams. The loss of giveaway days will be keenly felt by Nationals fans, who were probably hoping for commemorative items in honor of their team’s first ever World Series title.

1. Take Me Out to the Ballgame/Seventh-inning stretch

The playing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch is woven into the fabric of the game as much as the distance between the bases. The song itself is over 100 years old, and the origins of the seventh-inning stretch trace back even further, though prevailing wisdom holds that President William Howard Taft popularized the stretch while taking in a game in 1910.

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is a tie that binds baseball fans across the country, and the 2020 season won’t be the same without it. 

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