Olympics? Who needs ‘em?

Last year the International Olympic Committee voted to remove baseball and softball from future summer games, arguing the sports are “too American for international competition”. Never mind that after soccer baseball is probably the world’s most widespread team sport and never mind that Cuba has had more Olympic success than the United States; baseball is not popular in Europe, so naturally the European-dominated IOC concludes it is unimportant. Remind me to put up an argument the next time a German starts lecturing about American ethnocentrism.

But it may turn out for the best. Thanks to the Olympic snub, baseball finally found the motivation it needed to turn a long-time dream into reality. This weekend, with the Turin Olympics a fading memory, play will begin in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, the official name for what is better known as the World Cup of Baseball. There are 16 teams in the tournament, with at least one from every populated continent on Earth. Many of the teams are stocked with Major League talent, a feat never accomplished in any Olympic games.

I’m pretty excited to see how it turns out. Even if the US doesn’t do well (we are one of the favorites), it will certainly be an interesting experiment and, like the Olympics, an opportunity for the nations of the world to have a little fun together. Here’s hoping it becomes a regular event.

Tags: sports