The central motif in Summerland’s action and mythology is baseball, which represents The Role of Competition. Baseball evolved from similar bat-and-ball games popular in Europe, and the modern version of the game, which Summerland reflects began in Canada and later became popular in the US. Michael Chabon structures the novel’s heroic journey around the game, labeling the book’s four parts after the bases and home plate, and the relationship between a pitcher and a catcher in a baseball game informs the relationship between Ethan and Jennifer T. Throughout the novel, Chabon refers to the mechanics of the game and how players rise to prominence for particular skills as a batter, pitcher, or fielder. By assigning such qualities to the faeries populating the Summerlands, Chabon makes baseball both a game and a culture within the story.

In addition to the game itself, Chabon also uses the tools of the trade as metaphors for battlefields and character growth. The baseball diamond is the setting of many games during Ethan’s journey. As in a battle, the opponents are on sides, or “teams,” that include various positions. The convention to continuously switch where teams play mirrors the unpredictable nature of battle and shows how every player/warrior has a place in the game/fight.