Pastime or Sport?!?

It is time to lay this eternal argument to rest, is baseball a pastime or a sport? For twelve years I played community and church baseball and for the same amount of time was told, mostly by soccer players, that what I was doing could not be classified as a sport.

This past weekend, I was once again confronted by this fallacy by a bunch of basketball fiends. They argued that the sport of my youth was really only a pastime, America´s favourite, but nonetheless, a pastime not a sport. One advocate declared that he was going to blog about this topic...I thought I´d try to beat him at his own game.

Although we established and argued the definitions of sport and pastime, I want to print them here for the rest of my readers.

SPORT - physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in
competitively.
- an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or
customs and often undertaken competitively.

No one can deny that baseball has rules, customs, and competition. The main argument of those who hold the orange and black striped orb was that there was no physical exertion involved in baseball. I will concede that their is less physical exertion in baseball, but the definition does not quantify the amount of physical exertion needed in order for it to qualify as sport. A swing of the bat, the pursuit of a flyball, and a dash around the bases for a triumphant grand slam all require physical exertion. I recognize that these exertions come in spurts, but what of those who play soccer or basketball but are put on and pulled off just as quickly? Does the brevity of their play mean that they are no longer involved in a sport but a pastime? Length of physical exertion does not serve to define sport.

PASTIME - an activity or diversion that occupies one´s time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
i.e. Sailing is her favourite pastime

Here I change my argument slightly in order to state that baseball is a pastime and a sport...as is basketball...unless you opt to argue that basketball is not a pleasant activity that occupies one´s time and thoughts. And, if you argue that baseball is simply a pastime while basketball is a sport, let me add that the dictionary also defines sport as an active pastime, therefore identifying sport as pastime and pastime as sport.

I have concluded that baseball, basketball, soccer, and a variety of other activities (i.e. golf, although I detest admitting it) are all pastimes and sports.

p.s. My country of origin does not diminish the validity of my arguements nor does my use of the noun/verb "rusk".
p.s.s If any of you can tell me what a rusk is and what it means to rusk something, I´d be obliged!