The World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic was definitely a home run this year! This baseball tournament only happens every four years, and includes teams representing 20 countries. This year, the Dominican Republic, Japan, the United States, Cuba, Mexico, and Israel were among the teams with the most viewers across the world. It was a thrilling tournament combining national pride with the love of baseball, unifying the world for a few weeks.
Some Major League players even chose to return to their roots and played for their home countries in the tournament. Rowdy Tellez of the Milwaukee Brewers is of Jewish and Mexican descent, giving him three teams to choose from: the United States, Mexico, or Israel. He chose to play for Mexico because their training facility was the closest, but it’s also important to note his grandfather’s influence. Tellez’s grandfather played baseball in Mexico, and then again in Colorado for the Greeley Grays. This baseball team was made up of farmworkers in the area, teaching Tellez that being the underdog is hard, but success is possible.
One of the most thrilling games of the classic was the Dominican Republic versus Puerto Rico game in Miami, Florida. Bringing fans together from all three countries, the game was a loud and exciting celebration of the two teams and their pride for their backgrounds. As one side chanted, “Dominicana, Dominicana!”, the other chanted, “Puerto Rico!”. The stadium erupted into music with both sides bringing drums and noise makers, and when Puerto Rico won, Bad Bunny’s “El Apagon” bursted out of the speakers in celebration of the island.
This year, the tournament ended in suspenseful fashion where the two best players in baseball met face to face for the final out. It was do or die. The Japan versus United States game was unforgettable. Shohei Ohtani of Japan and Mike Trout of the United States both play for the Anaheim Angels in the MLB, and the game all came down to Ohtani’s pitch to Trout. Ohtani struck out his Angels teammate, making Japan the champions of the World Baseball Classic!
Throughout the World Baseball Classic, it was a happy sight to see the world’s countries united and having fun, especially given the divided state of our world.
