Sports have a way of bringing people together, and the American pastime of baseball is no exception. Whether it’s in a Major League ballpark or at a little league game, fans from around the country come together to bond and connect as a community. For Katie Russell Newland of Austin, Texas, baseball gave her a profound connection with her mother, as well as her fellow fans. Newland remembers growing up in New Orleans with a mother who was compassionate, intelligent, and free-spirited. Her mother made the simplest of errands or tasks feel like an adventure. Newland herself was shy and introverted, but as she grew older, she began to open up. “I started to realize that putting myself out into the world and being vulnerable actually had some benefits,” she said. Love of the Game Newland’s mother was passionate about baseball, but New Orleans didn’t—and still doesn’t—have a Major League team. Nevertheless, …