# A baseball game with no crowd. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 28, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749 "2015-04-28T21:39:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/41 "2015-04-30T14:44:36Z")
When the Los Angeles civil unrest was going on after the Rodney King verdict, three Dodger games were cancelled. When the opposing team came back through, they played three double headers in a row. MLB management let each team expand their roster for the series mainly so they could have extra starting pitchers. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/42 "2015-04-30T15:33:56Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > So it would have been better if millionaires, in the employ of multi-millionaires, would have jeopardized public safety by gathering thousands of people in one place in a riot-torn city, diverting police and security personnel who were desperately needed elsewhere? Definitely not. But they should have either figured out the logistics to move it or cancelled it. Sports are entertainment, and if there are no people to be entertained, it’s dumb to play it out. It elevates the importance of W/L records and standings above the importance of the fans. ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/43 "2015-04-30T15:47:17Z")
Did they have a seventh inning stretch? Did they play _Take Me Out to the Ballgame_ or _God Bless America_? In fact, was there any organ or piped in music at all? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/44 "2015-04-30T15:56:58Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > And the alternative was…? That the multi-millionaires pay for their own playgrounds, for a start. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/45 "2015-04-30T16:01:48Z")
> [@RadioWave](#): > > Did they have a seventh inning stretch? Did they play _Take Me Out to the Ballgame_ or _God Bless America_? In fact, was there any organ or piped in music at all? I thought it was somewhat surreal that the stadium announcer was giving the “now batting” announcement to nobody. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/46 "2015-04-30T16:15:54Z")
> [@RadioWave](#): > > Did they have a seventh inning stretch? Did they play _Take Me Out to the Ballgame_ or _God Bless America_? In fact, was there any organ or piped in music at all? There was a seventh inning stretch, and they played “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” per tradition. There was music before the game started. In the few innings I watched, I didn’t hear any other music or announcements of any kind, but as **JAQ** notes, [they announced the batters](http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/121326378/os-and-white-sox-experience-a-game-like-no-other-in-empty-camden-yards). So maybe there was more music that I missed. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > That the multi-millionaires pay for their own playgrounds, for a start. I agree with you here, but unfortunately that ship sailed long ago. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/47 "2015-04-30T16:16:59Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I thought it was somewhat surreal that the stadium announcer was giving the “now batting” announcement to nobody. It actually made sense. The Orioles broadcast showed that the press box was full to the brim. Apparently, everyone wanted to report on the game with no fans. So I’m sure those folks appreciated the PA announcements. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/48 "2015-04-30T16:21:36Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > There was a seventh inning stretch, and they played “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” per tradition. There was music before the game started. In the few innings I watched, I didn’t hear any other music or announcements of any kind, but as **JAQ** notes, [they announced the batters](http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/121326378/os-and-white-sox-experience-a-game-like-no-other-in-empty-camden-yards)… That sounds really nice. I would love to go to a game with none of the fluff. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/49 "2015-04-30T17:32:06Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > It elevates the importance of W/L records and standings above the importance of the fans. Fans would be pretty pissed off at the end of the season if the missing game caused their team to miss the play-offs, or rescheduling it at the end of the season screwed up their rotation for the play-offs. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/50 "2015-04-30T17:48:33Z")
Fair enough. I should have said reschedule, not cancel. You’re right, missing the game completely can throw things off. But games being cancelled completely isn’t that rare, usually when there’s a rainout toward the end of the season and the game wouldn’t make a difference in standings. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/51 "2015-04-30T18:19:33Z")
I can kind of understand the announcing of the upcoming batters. That PA announcement actually has an active role in the game. Once someone (think pinch hitter) is announced, he is officially in the game. If the manager decides to switch batters after a pitching change, that original player is “burned” or used, and is no longer available to play. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/52 "2015-04-30T18:41:16Z")
If nobody ever came to watch them play, would anyone play baseball just for fun? Football? etc. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/53 "2015-04-30T20:29:42Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > If nobody ever came to watch them play, would anyone play baseball just for fun? Football? etc. Of course - people play pick-up games every day, and there are intramural leagues everywhere that aren’t spectator-driven. Playing the games is fun! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/54 "2015-04-30T20:33:17Z")
There are stories about how many actual major league players wouldn’t play if they weren’t being paid for it, and how many are simply not interested in watching games they’re not in. A lot of them simply walk away after finishing their last contract and almost never step in a ballpark again. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749/55 "2015-04-30T21:46:51Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > But games being cancelled completely isn’t that rare, usually when there’s a rainout toward the end of the season and the game wouldn’t make a difference in standings. A few years ago, and the Orioles would have already been out of contention, but things are different now.😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-baseball-game-with-no-crowd/718749.md?page=2)