From Tokyo to Miami (and everything in between), the World Baseball Classic took the world by storm
During 312 hours and 55 minutes, from the first pitch in Tokyo when Australia took on Chinese Taipei, until the last strike by Daniel Palencia to confirm Venezuela's win against USA, international baseball dominated the sports stage as the World Baseball Cassic showcased the best of international baseball from 5-17 March.
International baseball is healthy, vibrant and appealing to new audiences. The excitement of watching players defending the ‘name on the front’ that represents who they are, their roots, their heritage, all of this on a baseball field in front of millions of enthusiastic fans. Sounds like the perfect stage, right? Well, it is.
Tambores, drums, fans cheering, an espresso machine, a blonde squad, a unicorn — all this and more was part of the experience that new, and hardcore, international baseball fans enjoyed.
Growth of international baseball
With the likes of Australia beating Chinese Taipei before nearly overcoming defending champions and world No. 1 Japan, and Italy going on a five-game winning streak before losing to eventual champions Venezuela in the semifinals, international baseball is in great health.
Despite only missing out on the quarterfinals by one run, there is plenty to celebrate for Australia, who finished third in Pool C behind Japan and Korea while Italy's Cinderella run gave baseball unprecedented coverage in the country, with the sport hitting the front pages of the daily sports papers, even on a Monday, a day sacred to calcio [soccer] in Italy.
And when you look at the teams who missed out on the play offs - 24-time world champions Cuba, world No. 6 Mexico (both finished third in their group), Premier12 champions Chinese Taipei, two-time world champions Colombia and 10-time medallist Nicaragua, it's a wonderful illustration of how more teams are competing on the biggest stage of all.
A historic moment for a baseball country
Baseball is the undeniable number one sport in Venezuela. Venezuela’s last world title at the senior level came in 1945, a long wait for a country that breathes baseball.
Venezuela’s run was only stopped by the Dominican Republic in the pool phase, which sent them to face the reigning champion Japan and World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound. A come-from-behind win against Japan ignited a run that did the same against Italy, overcoming an early deficit and then dominating USA in the final.
Venezuela is in a purple patch of form during this current decade with a world title also at the U-23 level, as well as two medals at U-12, and a fourth-place finish at the WBSC Premier12 2024.
International heritage
The tournament was full of superstars who already knew what it means to wear their country’s uniform at different tournaments and levels. The champions had Luis Arraez, a U-15 World Championship hero; USA had Brice Turang, a member of one of the best teams in history at U-18 level; the Dominican Republic had an Olympic medalist in Julio Rodríguez, just to name a few.
Also, we witnessed the present and the future of the game in Travis Bazzana, a number one pick in the MLB Draft, who embodies the meaning of an international baseball player, having already participated in four different tournaments with Australia at this point.
Records everywhere
This edition of the World Baseball Classic registered records everywhere. Fox Sports, the network with the rights for the US market, registered a record 10.8m viewers for the final game with a 1.3m average during the tournament.
But also on the field, the Dominican Republic team managed an impressive record of 15 home runs during the tournament, surpassing the 14 that Team Mexico hit in the 2009 edition.
The Olympic run
Two spots for LA28 were on the line during the tournament. Reaching the semifinals and finishing as the top two teams from the Americas secured these spots for the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, adding even more interest to a tournament that everybody was watching.
Now three more spots are in play, two of them in next year’s Premier12 tournament, which will complete one team from Asia and another from Europe or Oceania, finalising the six-team competition in an Olympic Qualifier that promises to be one for the ages.
What’s next
International baseball doesn’t stop, and the calendar looks packed.
Check out the WBSC website for more information and to follow your favourite players from grassroots to stardom.