San Luis Obispo was chosen as the heart and soul of baseball in California in a poll of 4,936 baseball fans. Gambling N’ Go conducted the survey.
Per Josh Kruis of freshlygroundmedia.com, the fans in the poll identified “the spiritual heart of baseball in each state.”
Californians in the poll tapped San Luis Obispo, Compton and Visalia as the top three spots in their state. Cal Poly’s baseball team has a solid tradition, and the semi-pro San Luis Obispo Blues baseball team has traditionally been a popular draw for families during the summers.
San Luis Obispo fans “lean on the rails, chew sunflower seeds, and talk pitching mechanics like it’s front page news,” as per Kruis.
Compton was the runner-up among the California fans who were surveyed. The MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton offers free training to players there. The UYA was founded in 2006 and has been recognized as a MLB youth development site.
The Visalia Rawhide, a San Francisco Giants Single-A minor league affiliate, plays at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia. Valley Strong Ballpark is also the site of the CIF Central Section baseball playoffs.
Other top baseball choices mentioned in the article included Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, Louisville, St. Louis and Seattle.