Australian Baseball League

It's just the facts: you're going to get out more often than you get a run on the board.

Regardless, millions across the world play the game and if you're a committed fan, you'll stay at the ballpark until the bitter end, even if your team is down and at the point of no recovery.

The Australian Baseball League is built on the promise that if fans stay around long enough, even though the odds are against them, that they will witness progression and possibly even something great.

Speak to anyone who's made it to the majors and they'll tell the tale behind their achievement - of leaky buses, couch surfing and hotel lockouts. It's seldom noted that the people behind the players also sacrifice their time, comfort and at times, their sanity in the name of the game.

Fighting constantly to introduce a new sport down under, how do those involved stayed motivated?

The Pinders are an impressive Australian baseball family who, between the four of them, clock up hundreds of unpaid hours to volunteer for the Brisbane Bandits every season.

"It's the people that you meet through baseball," Em Pinder, 19, said, identifying the perks of such a commitment. "Whether it be the players, umpires, volunteers, whoever, they make you feel like you're a part of a family. It doesn't matter how little or great your contributions to baseball are, you're a family member."

The Pinder family has redefined the term by extending a lifetime open door policy to the two pitchers they "adopted" last season, Colorado native Sean Jarrett and Italian ace Alex Maestri.

"Enjoyment is also a good reason to stay involved, because it's a pretty great sport and one of few where one at-bat can change a whole game," Em said, confirming all volunteers are fans first.

For 17-year-old Dan Parker, the Bandits' 'Jack of all trades', he is motivated by past success.

"I'd really like to see the sport grow back to its former glory and work its way back in to the Olympics," he said.

Chuck Ellis is another committed Bandits all-rounder whose talent lies mainly in media. Like Parker, Ellis is results-motivated, and is inspired by seeing the model of baseball working in Australia.

"Just look at the numbers in the junior ranks around the country, where it is starting to really grow," Ellis said.

He has a few things to point out to the detractors, who say the sport has no place down under and essentially, his time is wasted trying.

"There are always going to be the naysayers who even go as far as calling baseball 'unAustralian', but look back a few years ago when the Aussie cricket team went through a great fielding period," Ellis said. "Sure there were great cricketers like Hayden and Symonds but there was also top baseball coach Mike Young as the fielding coach during that period."

"Additionally, through the proliferation of sports to be found on pay TV and the Internet, interest is naturally going to rise even if some people will watch initially out of curiosity. With that, people who do go to the USA on holidays end up going to the ballpark to experience the atmosphere firsthand."

Glen Long is one of the longest-serving league members in Australia.

"My motivation for baseball is that I just love the game," Long said. "As an Australian it may be rare, but I have loved the game since 1971 when I was 11 and from my first junior game as a player."

"I remember watching a Super 8 film show at my junior presentation in 1976 of the Big Red Machine (Cincinnati Reds) and Johnny Bench as the catcher; I was hooked from then on."

Over the years, Glen Long has leant himself to several Baseball Queensland clubs, as well as the Bandits, and remains loyal to his cause.

"The last few seasons I am lucky to be part of the Brisbane Bandits Ustream team and will continue to improve the broadcast of our local teams and the Bandits."

All agree that it is extremely encouraging every time an Australian is recognised on the global stage.

"Finally, scouts for universities and Major league Baseball see Australia as a viable spot to find up-and-coming talent," Ellis said. "Aussies have gained the reputation of being viable, dedicated and enthusiastic sportspeople over the years."

It would not be disputed that the people working behind the players share their determination.

If not yet convinced, take a closer look at the longest professional game in history - which lasted 32 innings and spanned over eight hours.

Dave Huppert caught 31 innings before retiring, leaving his post a little delirious but overwhelmingly proud of his record. And out of a crowd of nearly 2,000, 19 fans stayed to the very end and witnessed something truly great - and through their perseverance, they'd earned their very own place in baseball history.