Mario Baseball.png

We've previously covered crossovers between Major League Baseball and Nintendo, mainly because this scribe is bit of a Cubs fan. As many politely point out, often with a tongue sticking out emoji, there's more to baseball than the Cubbies, and we got a cool tip from a reader on another team with Nintendo fans in its ranks.

That team is the Atlanta Braves, which currently sits 2nd in the National League East. Apparently the team got through a recent three-hour, 12-minute rain delay by playing Mario Kart in the clubhouse. We're going to assume it's Mario Kart 8 Deluxethat's being referenced, as the Braves' website cutely says the team played on a 'Nintendo Wii Switch'.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube764k
Watch on YouTube

It seems like a key part of the team's bonding in spare time.

We love it, and it brings back the good 'ol days," shortstop Dansby Swanson said. "It is fun and competitive, and it's entertaining."

"The best in the clubhouse is definitely Nick Markakis, as he is phenomenal," Jackson said. "[Eric] O'Flaherty is pretty good, Ender is good and Sean Rodriguez is an actual solid sleeper pick. But Markakis is probably clubhouse champ."

Markakis said he plays a lot in his free time at home. Yet, he said that the rain delay helped the team build more chemistry and lock in before resuming play.

"You've got to have some camaraderie in the clubhouse, and some fun other than baseball," Markakis said. "We are here for one thing, and we realize that, but when you have down time, you've got to have some things to do. It is just one of those things."

The love for Mario Kart has spread to others in the Braves' clubhouse. Pitcher Sam Freeman doesn't play the game much, but as he prepared to pitch the seventh inning once the game resumed, he kept himself calm by watching the competition unfold.

"We play during rain delays, before games and it is like a unique team-bonding experience".

It's not surprising, really - you can't go wrong with a bit of Mario Kart.

[source m.braves.mlb.com]