5. Baseball, nostalgia, and Star Trek
Benajmin Sisko's love of baseball has been a symbol of something lost and loved since the beginning of DS9. In "Emissary," he is shown with an old baseball on his desk, holding on to a sport that has mostly disappeared from 24th-century civilization.
"Take Me Out to the Holosuite" pays off by letting the sport become a way for him to talk to his crew. Practices in the holosuite, explaining the rules to puzzled aliens, and the tradition of team names and uniforms all remind me of baseball's mix of tradition and friendship.
Even without knowledge of the infield fly rule, the episode makes sense.
The idea that a game can bring people from different backgrounds together and make them feel like family for a few hours, the return of a treasured tradition after a long absence, and the "impossible" comeback are all part of the American traditions that make MLB's Opening Day feel like a holiday.
It is no coincidence that other Trek projects, like the new Starfleet Academy series, also refer to Sisko's baseball game, his encounter with a Vulcan, and that fateful wrestling match.