The contradiction of America is that it is supposed to support the individual, but it is also supposed to be united. We are called the “”land of the free,”” but also the “”United States,”” and often we face the challenge of reconciling opposing opinions in a diverse country. But the beauty of America is that we’ve thrived on this conflict of ideals and still managed to function as a nation.

Major League Baseball’s new labor settlement is a perfect example of individuals coming together for mutual benefit.

For the first time in more than 30 years, players and team owners developed a collective bargaining agreement without a work stoppage. Both sides worked to benefit the whole, and thus to benefit themselves.

As the players’ self-imposed Aug. 30 strike date loomed, the players’ union and the owners held all-night meetings and worked out a collective bargaining agreement with which both sides were satisfied to avoid ending the season and alienating millions of fans.

Baseball embodies America and did not crumble in the face of adversity. Instead of imploding into chaos and disagreement, players and owners were able to come together and realize their common goal.

Indeed, the labor dispute at times did seem to underlie the more negative aspects of America — greedy rich players arguing with greedy rich owners, bitter fans booing players and throwing foul balls back onto the field, but the fans’ protest was definitely one of the main factors in the players’ and owners’ strong desire to come to a compromise. Baseball’s fans and traditions were among the main reasons there was no strike.

In the true American spirit of contradiction, America holds onto tradition even when it seems impractical and outdated — Thanksgiving dinner, newspapers and rock ‘n’ roll (no matter how mutated it has become) among them.

The new agreement shows that, like America, baseball cares about history and tradition enough to sacrifice potential business profit.

For example, the agreement stipulates that no baseball team will be considered for contraction until 2006, which saves the Minnesota Twins and the Montreal Expos, who were both in danger of being cut from the major league.

Also in the agreement is a revenue-sharing policy, in which roughly one-third of each team’s revenue will be pooled and redistributed among all 30 teams. This will help to cut the gap slightly between teams in large markets, such as New York, and teams in small markets, such as Minnesota and Montreal.

Some owners have long been trying to move their teams from small markets to places where they will make more profits. However, the MLB has strict rules on moving teams in order to maintain the history and fan base of teams where they are.

Thus, in a sports world where football, basketball and hockey teams are constantly moving to find greener pastures, baseball has remained remarkably stable. The last baseball team moved in 1971, when the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers. Since then, football’s Raiders have moved from Oakland to Los Angeles, then back to Oakland.

Consider this: San Diego can be considered a “”small market”” city. The Padres’ revenue is in the bottom third of all major league teams, and their annual player payroll, at around $40 million, is fifth lowest in the majors. Yet the Padres have been in San Diego since 1968 and aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they are scheduled to open a new baseball-only stadium for the 2004 season.

With the new revenue-sharing clause of the collective bargaining agreement, the team will be able to increase its payroll and compete better with, say, the Los Angeles Dodgers, which have a payroll of well over $100 million.

As teams such as the Oakland A’s and Minnesota Twins have proven by winning division championships in recent years, it doesn’t take a large market to make a successful team.

The values of baseball itself are also representative of what America should be. Players go through a farm system of minor league teams, where they play the game without making the big bucks. It’s a sport that relies on individual achievement as well as a team effort. One team cannot dominate every game; even the team with the worst record can beat the team with the best record on any given night, depending on pitching and changes of fortune.

A strike-shortened season, such as the 1994 season, would have gone against everything that baseball stands for.

The new collective bargaining agreement shows that players and owners care enough to make sure the season goes on, and it could not have happened at a better time. President George W. Bush, who used to own the Texas Rangers, stated that a labor settlement in baseball was important for the morale of the entire country.

Non-sports fans may think it’s strange to devote so much attention to a mere game, but competitive sports everywhere have transcended the role of entertainment and recreation and have come to represent pride, camaraderie and tradition.

Fans go so far as to refer to the actions of their favorite team as their own: “”We beat the Dodgers today!”” And this year, the fans showed that they are just as involved and devoted as the players and owners.

Baseball is about more than just watching guys hit a ball with a bat. It’s about competitive spirit and perseverance. It’s about working together and getting the job done. It’s about having a good time and giving everyone a chance.

Baseball has long prided itself as our national pastime, and for now, it lives up to its title.