This isn’t a Geroge Carlin riff or anything philosophical, but rather how the pursuit of both is similar.

I’d argue that enjoying a pizza in a restaurant and seeing a baseball game in person are best enjoyed in the company of others. Dining out in general, is more of a social act. One friend, who I’ll call Vito, believes a meal is just the background music for enjoying friends’ company.

For single folks lacking kids, the dynamic of eating out changes. Without family obligations enjoying a meal solo can be quite enjoyable on many different levels. There’s an inherent freedom to explore and not have to worry about ruining another person’s experience.

People forced to travel for business often adapt to eating alone or starving. I know some people would rather stay in a hotel rather than dining out alone. My married friends and relatives don’t choose to dine out as it seems like ditching one’s spouse. Some would never think of having lunch out without their spouse or a friend.

Attending a baseball game with people requires syncing up of schedules even within a household. It’s also a commitment of time-that some friends may not wish to make. I love meeting family or friends at the ballpark (eventually) so that they’re not on my goofy schedule.

Not everyone wants to take public transportation or drive 100 miles each way just to see a game. Similarly, not everybody likes the same pizza, nor do we want to experiment with our guts or pocketbooks without a guarantee of a good meal.

In Chicago, pizzas are akin to Chinese food, and hotdogs-they are very personal, and people often take umbrage at rankings. Over the years, I’ve refrained from rating pizzas so as not upset someone. It seems most people favor their first pizza experiences. I know people that wax poetic about the frozen pizzas of their youth. Settling on a neutral site might be good for domestic relations, but for those of us wishing to expand our horizons, it can be stifling.

The entire point of my posting about baseball games, travel and whatnot is to point out the positives and occasional pitfalls. I’m never bothered if someone enjoys a ballpark or experience more than I did. In fact, I’m just happy when people get out and enjoy a game, anywhere. I love when people find the experience best suited for their likes and needs. I try and capture how well an organization meets the needs of different target audiences (families, beer drinkers, seniors, autograph seekers or purists).

I’ve always believed that dining out is better than carryout or delivery-especially when it comes to pizza. I prefer my baseball in person save for when the cost of attending is prohibitive or when the weather is so lousy as to make it a rotten endeavor.

I both cases, I’m not going to let other people’s availability or disinterest stop me from going to a game or enjoying a pizza. Also, in both cases, there are some new roadblocks. I no longer can consume pizzas the way I once did, and some restaurants don’t offer single portions. Deep dish/pan pizzas are best shared, but one can’t always find a willing partner in crime so locating a place that caters to solo diners can be a trick.

As I’ve posted about several times in the past couple of years, the minor league change in scheduling makes it more difficult to find weekday afternoon games. In fact, once May rolls around, the number of Saturday afternoon games is reduced dramatically. As such, what was formerly an easy, one-day excursion, now involves an overnight stay in town.

People who questioned spending an entire afternoon with me in some Midwest minor league city, will likely dodge the bullet of spending an extra day and pass. When I was planning my trip to Philadelphia for the NLDS in October, I never broached the subject of anyone joining me. I didn’t think anyone wanted to make the trip nor deal with the goofy itinerary.

Conversely, if available, I’ll rarely pass up an invitation to attend a game with someone regardless of the teams involved. I know some folks prefer seeing their team play.

For what it’s worth, I couldn’t attend an NFL or college football game as a fan, by myself. Back in college, I went to and enjoyed several Sixers games by myself, but wish someone would have joined me.

In the coming days I’ll be sharing a few of my pizza highlights from 2022.

Editor’s note: For those interested in the Chicago pizza experience, I recommend any of Steve Dolinski’s excellent books on the subject. Steve Comma gave me his most recent guide and I’m using it as I pursue some new places.