Update: I had no internet all evening. It came back at 23:51. The demon who hates me and killed my internet loves geeksworld and wanted me to upload the strip. So this demon has a weakness! Ah-ah!

Update 2: I lost internet at 00:03. Got it back only in the morning. Demon not even subtle.

Baseball

I don't care about baseball, as I don't care about much sports, but there are people who care about that a lot. These people are... the manga/anime scenarists.
The episode of Samurai Champloo I just saw was about.. baseball. Yes, wonderful anachronism and funny episode. But this anime isn't the first to use baseball just in one (or a series of) episodes even thought there is no link between this sport and the usual characters of the manga.
Also made a baseball "saga": Dr Slump, Kimengumi High School, Cobra, Incredible Masaru / Sexy Commando, and certainly many others. So why baseball?
The answer is pretty simple, baseball isn't a team sport, it's a turn-based game!
Which, like Yugiho or Hikaru No Go, gives a load of time for each spectator to says his own comment, and each character, when it's his turn, to talk and talk about his next technique of crazy way to toss the ball or bat handling technique.
Ah that, the scenarists love. you know, the same reason that make their characters talk endlessly of their new techniques in a lethal fight.
"Oh you are so going to die on this one because it's so powerfull and will attack like that and that and no one can handle this and dies. " (attack done, the hero didn't die) "It's impossible!" "Well I did this and this and this 'cause I saw the flaw..."
Of course, as an author when you come with a technique, it is needed to be fully explained. And as only Shirow dares to write subtitles in font 8 between cases, a character needs to do that.
In manga, as total opposite of US Comics where groups always attack together, only one character at the time can have the full attention. So even in groups fights or sports games, only one character does things and others watch and comment. Even in Slam Dunk (Basketball as some knew or guessed), each game is mostly a sequel of alone-moment actions. And who can tell the name of each member of Tsubasa's team, hu?
Turn-based games are the best for that. In fights-shonen, the tournament is the best moment because it's only one character at the time. And most usually a guy dedicated to comment. But as said earlier, real turn based strategy games are the best for the author.

A card game like Yugiho, wonderful. Especially the anime, where each turn gives a comment moment for each and every guy on the scene, players included, who can speech 2 times each. It's also a good maths memento.
(player1) "You see, I use the double hit attack card and attack with my blue-eyes-white-skin-four-legs-dragon and his attacks goes from 2000 to 4000, as your best creature is only only 2500, you will take damages!!"
(player2) "Well played, but I can handle that!"
(spectator1) "Damn! That means that even if his best creature takes the damages, still 1500 will go to Yugi, as 4000 minus 2500 are 1500!"
(spectator2) "Oh my god! Yugi only has 1000 life points left! That mean he will have -500 points after that and lose the game!
(spectator3) "No! I trust Yugi! He'll find a way because he is brave and never abandon and we all know that works, whatever the reason! It's not because 2 times 2000, which do 4000, and therefore is greater or equal than yugi points (1000) plus his best creature, the black-skinned-red-eyes-with-larges-wings-and-a-cool-tail-dragon (2500) that do 3500 that he can't win!"
(spectator4) "Yes! If we are all with him, that will make him win, I don't know why, but hey! Just because 4000-3500 + double(-500) power to 3.1416 divided by Yugi's age isn't equal to Freeza's next power level in an Euclidean geometry won't restrain Yugi from saving the word, as if he loses the game, the world will explode for some reasons!!!!!"
(player1) "Attack!!! Die!!!!"
(player2) "No! Because I have this hidden card that is called all in your face that can only be played on rainy days when the moon is on the same line as the earth and mars, and you attack with a doubled-dragon! It makes me win the game by switching your life points with mine and kick you in the nuts!"
(player1) "That's impossible! It's not even raining!"
(player2) "spit"
(player1) "NooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo!!!!!!"