Baseball is not the global game that soccer is, that's true. But its actual world championship - the "World Baseball Classic - is not played in October.
I remember that New Yorker cover, and at the time laughing about the myopia, but it's really not funny anymore, probably never was. The passport percentages are shocking.
It was a wonderful event! BTW, you don't need to minimize the "national" flavor of the teams - yes, the Italians weren't really Italians (or hadn't been for generations), but the Latin teams featured largely native born and raised baseball heroes. Those Phillies like Sanchez and Sosa are interviewed in Spanish after games with an interpreter - they are legit, and Venezuela somehow has a cadre of amazing home-grown talent that can beat the "biggest" names in the MLB.
Also, the US team was colorless and lifeless - it felt corporate. The manager was a dud, misunderstanding the importance of their last qualifying game (they ended up having to rely on others to even make it to the final rounds) and then giving a bizarre militaristic speech before the final - look it up, it's cringe-worthy and perhaps the least inspiring baseball speech in history.
Conversely, the Venezuelans, the Dominicans, et al were present, excited, and their fans were loud and vocal in Miami, filling a stadium that usually has 200 people at a Marlins game. Even the "Italians" had a very cool routine drinking espressos while wearing a Versace jacket after hitting a home run.
The WBC officially made it this year - even the ratings were pretty good. BTW check it out - the Philly market was the highest viewership :)
Of course MLB teams source the best players from across the globe. So while the World Series features teams with the names of the American cities where the players spend the plurality of their time between April and September of the brief period of their lives that comprise their major league careers stitched across their jerseys, their isn’t actually anything inherently more New York, NY, USA about Clay Holmes of Slocumb Alabama than there is about Huascar Brazobán of Villa Mella, DR.
As Jerry Seinfeld said, we root for the laundry. And I’m happy my NY Mets employ Juan Soto, Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr, Kodai Senga and many others, unless they end up sucking.
I’ve been watching and reading about baseball for many, many, many years, and I had never heard that line about Phillies fans and the French before. I laughed, and we can certainly use a laugh right now, so thanks.
Also, does anyone in Israel other than American olim care about Team Israel, a/k/a Team American Jews, in the WBC? My Israeli friends here tell me no.
I remember that New Yorker cover, and at the time laughing about the myopia, but it's really not funny anymore, probably never was. The passport percentages are shocking.
It would be nice to see the World Baseball Classic played every year in various host cities.
It was a wonderful event! BTW, you don't need to minimize the "national" flavor of the teams - yes, the Italians weren't really Italians (or hadn't been for generations), but the Latin teams featured largely native born and raised baseball heroes. Those Phillies like Sanchez and Sosa are interviewed in Spanish after games with an interpreter - they are legit, and Venezuela somehow has a cadre of amazing home-grown talent that can beat the "biggest" names in the MLB.
Also, the US team was colorless and lifeless - it felt corporate. The manager was a dud, misunderstanding the importance of their last qualifying game (they ended up having to rely on others to even make it to the final rounds) and then giving a bizarre militaristic speech before the final - look it up, it's cringe-worthy and perhaps the least inspiring baseball speech in history.
Conversely, the Venezuelans, the Dominicans, et al were present, excited, and their fans were loud and vocal in Miami, filling a stadium that usually has 200 people at a Marlins game. Even the "Italians" had a very cool routine drinking espressos while wearing a Versace jacket after hitting a home run.
The WBC officially made it this year - even the ratings were pretty good. BTW check it out - the Philly market was the highest viewership :)
Yes, all quite fascinating !
Interesting take on the WBC, Dan.
Of course MLB teams source the best players from across the globe. So while the World Series features teams with the names of the American cities where the players spend the plurality of their time between April and September of the brief period of their lives that comprise their major league careers stitched across their jerseys, their isn’t actually anything inherently more New York, NY, USA about Clay Holmes of Slocumb Alabama than there is about Huascar Brazobán of Villa Mella, DR.
As Jerry Seinfeld said, we root for the laundry. And I’m happy my NY Mets employ Juan Soto, Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr, Kodai Senga and many others, unless they end up sucking.
The map seems a bit off: only around 17 percent of the population in Japan has a valid passport according to Google.
I’ve been watching and reading about baseball for many, many, many years, and I had never heard that line about Phillies fans and the French before. I laughed, and we can certainly use a laugh right now, so thanks.
Also, does anyone in Israel other than American olim care about Team Israel, a/k/a Team American Jews, in the WBC? My Israeli friends here tell me no.