For many Americans, Major League Baseball is the sport of the summer. Baseball has a fantastic cultural history and has been the focal point of many books, movies, and songs. Professional baseball leagues exist at many levels of development and have affiliated teams all around the country. So, if you cannot get to a major league game, you can still attend a minor league game and watch the future stars on their way up.

Major League Baseball was formed in 1903 by combining the existing National and American Leagues. Since then, Baseball has been a part of Americana. After gaining massive popularity in the 1920s, the MLB had its work cut out to escape the Great Depression and World War 2. But they made it, and after these two significant events, it seemed to solidify baseball as America's pastime. Allegiances to Major League Baseball teams became entrenched in families, and a new generation is born into a fandom that usually transfers down. This makes attending a game even more special. Knowing that you are sharing a pastime with your grandfather that he may have done with his father or grandfather is something few other sports can currently offer.

Baseball season begins with spring training games in Florida and Arizona. The Florida League is called the Grapefruit League, and the Arizona League is called the Cactus League. Spring training is a great way to see the team's stars and the up-and-coming players as they develop. The stadiums are more minor and offer an inside perspective—some of the towns where the spring training facilities even offer the possibility to run into star players. Tickets on sale have a great selection of Spring Training Tickets available to most games. These tickets are usually remarkably lower in cost. Spring training usually runs from Feb 14th through the end of March. The regular season begins.

Major League Baseball enjoys the most extended schedule of any professional sports league, with 162 games plus spring training and the post-season for those teams lucky enough to make it. The northern teams play in frigid conditions as the season begins in spring, but as the season progresses, you get through summer. Going to a summer baseball day game and getting cold beer and popcorn is a tradition many families enjoy annually. The stadiums are filled with entertainment options for families other than baseball for those who would like it. The baseball season's summer portion is typically called the dog days of summer.

With all of baseball's unique history and a focus on it, some stadiums are lifetime experiences. These classic stadiums go beyond which team you root for and should be considered historical sites to America's Pastime. Wrigley Field is one of the oldest still in existence (1914). The Home Field of the Chicago Cubs was long considered cursed due to its lack of World Series title after coming up short many times. Even though the Cubs won the World Series in 1907 and 1908, they had to wait until 2016 to win it again. Fenway Park is two years older (1912) and was thought to operate under the curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox drought of World Series wins went from 1918 to 2004. When the Red Sox finally won, it was truly historic, and a run of the Red Sox success led by GM Theo Epstein began. Theo Epstein also led the front office for the Cubs in their 2016 World Series victory. Other stadiums of interest but not as historic are Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles), Camden Yards (Baltimore), Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City), and Tropicana Field (Tampa).

The two leagues still maintain their unique structures, with the National League, which has pitchers hitting, and the American League, which uses a designated hitter who hits for the pitcher and does not have a field position. During the World Series, the home teams determine which rules are used. Each league also offers its championship, which is referred to as the pennant. The American League vs National League debate has been raging for years, and I don't think it will ever get settled. Some of the biggest rivalries exist between intraleague opponents, but it's meaningful when crosstown rivals play each other. The biggest NL vs AL rivals are Yankees vs Mets, Orioles vs Nationals, Marlins vs Rays, Brewers vs Twins, Red Sox vs Phillies, Reds vs Indians, Cardinals vs Royals, A's vs Giants, and Cubs vs White Sox. MLB started playing intraleague games in 1997 to spice things up, which has ignited the importance of these rivalry games.

Over Major League Baseballs long history specific teams have won more than others and here is a list of World Series Championship wins: New York Yankees 27 wins, St Louis Cardinals 11 wins, Oakland Athletics 9 wins, Boston Red Sox 9 wins, San Francisco Giants 8 wins, Los Angeles Dodgers 7 wins, Cincinnati Reds 5 wins, Pittsburgh Pirates 5 wins, Detroit Tigers 4 wins, Chicago Cubs 3 wins, and the Atlanta Braves 3 wins. And for the other end of the spectrum teams that have not yet won a World Series: San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, and the Seattle Mariners.

With all that Major League Baseball has to offer, grab the family, head out to the ballpark, and catch a game. And if your team is ever in the hunt for a World Series game, watch it if you can. MLB All-Star Game can also be fun, along with the ever-popular home run derby. From March through October, you have over 162 chances to buy tickets and go to an MLB game, and TicketsOnSale would like to be the provider of those tickets.