by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 22, 2010   Last Updated: January 08, 2012

The Super Fan archetype involves more than simply watching every game. When the games are over, a super fan simply finds more team-related activities to fill up the remaining hours of the day! To make game day last longer, fans will arrive early for tailgate parties. And when they're not able to get tickets for the game, some of these super fans  even continue partying in the parking lot - while listening to the game on their radio!

But it takes a special kind of commitment to be a baseball super fan. After all, there's 162 games in the season, so it's nearly impossible to hit them all.  (And unlike football, baseball teams sometimes play during the middle of a weekday - so attending every game often requires skipping out on work!) A true super fan would probably buy a season ticket - and then challenge themselves to see how many games they can attend. In the absence of that, they'll at least memorize the days in which cheap seats are offered at a bargain price - so they can see as many games as they can!

But whether they're watching the games or not, a baseball super fan treats the team's schedule like a religious artifact. He'll have the official schedule handy for quick reference - maybe folded in his wallet - and he'll obsessively check the teams standings in the newspaper every day.  He'll know exactly how many win they'll need to make it into the playoffs - and he'll also be aware of the closest competitors in the league. A super fan may even watch the rival team's game - just so he can root for their defeat!

The great thing about being a baseball super fan is there's more chances to get closer to the team. Baseball teams traditionally hold "meet the players" days - and of course, fans always have a chance to catch a fly ball. I've heard stories about young fans who approached the dugout and passed their ball down for an autograph - or who received a player line-up list as a special souvenier. That's the most important mental aspect of being a baseball super fan. The first step is being excited about the team. But the second step is finding something to do with that excitement!

Patton Oswalt understands the blissfully-crazed mindset of the true Super Fan. In 2009, he starred in a 90-minute independent film called "Big Fan," in which he played a sports fan who spends his entire work day listening to sports radio talk shows. Eventually he gets in an intense rivalry with a caller who defends the other team. And by the end of the movie, he's driving to the man's hometown to confront him face to face!

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