アメリカのメジャーリーグ・ベースボールは、いよいよ過酷な夏の戦いに入ります。そして、夏を乗り切り、秋に最高の状態に持って行けたチームが、10月のプレーオフ、ワールドシリ−ズに出場します。夏の終わりにダントツの首位でも、9月に一気に出てくるチームが、勢いに乗ってプレーオフ、ワールドシリーズに勝つのもメジャーリーグの醍醐味です。

メジャーリーグは日本のプロ野球に比べ、色んな意味で遥かに過酷です。まず、試合数がシーズン160試合あり、日本の130試合前後より、30試合（約1ヶ月分）多くあります。そのため、連戦が続きます。ところが、アメリカの東と西では時差が3時間あるため、時差とも戦わなければなりません。次に、西と東では気候が大きく異なるので、コンデション作りに失敗すると成績も乱高下します。

According to International Student, there are four points Americans value most. They are independence, equality, informality, and directness. It’s helpful to understand these values when visiting or studying in the U.S.

Independence: Americans value individualism. People tend to believe they are in control of their lives rather than identifying foremost with their families, religious groups, their country, or other group.

Equality: The idea of equality is deeply ground in American culture. In fact, The Declaration of Independence states that "all [people] are created equal." While some minority extremist groups (e.g. the KKK) believe that certain people are superior, most people value the concept of equality. Because this notion of equality is rooted in the culture, some people can be confused with explicit displays of respect such as bowing in Japanese culture.

Informality: In general, Americans tend to be rather informal in their personal relationships. For example, even strangers almost always use first names. Clothing and posture tend to be very informal too. People aren’t trying to be rude. It’s just part of American culture.

Directness: Being open, honest, and telling people exactly what’s on your mind is valued in American culture. Americans tend to think that if there is a conflict between two people, the best way to solve it is for those two people to sit down together and have an honest talk about their feelings and opinions. This way, both parties will be able to find a solution to the conflict.