Baseball in the world

The history of baseball in Canada has remainedCompetition between national teams, such as in
closely linked with that of the sport in the Unitedthe World Cup of Baseball and the Olympic
States. As early as 1877, a professional league,baseball tournament, has been administered by
the International Association, featured teamsthe International Baseball Federation since its
from both countries. While baseball is widelyformation in 1938. As of 2004, the organization
played in Canada, and many minor league teamshas 112 member countries.
have been based in the country, the AmericanSince the early 1970s, the annual Caribbean Series
major leagues did not include a Canadian club untilhas matched the league-winning clubs from Puerto
1969, when the Montreal Expos joined the NationalRico, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Dominican
League as an expansion team. In 1977, theRepublic. The Confédération
expansion Toronto Blue Jays joined the AmericanEuropéene de Baseball (European Baseball
League. The Blue Jays won the World Series inConfederation), founded in 1953, organizes a
1992 and 1993, the first and still the only clubnumber of competitions between clubs from
from outside the United States to do so. In 2004,different countries as well as national squads. The
Major League Baseball relocated the Expos toinaugural World Baseball Classic, held in March
Washington, D.C., where the team is now known2006, had a much higher profile than previous
as the Nationals.tournaments featuring national teams, owing to
The first formal baseball league outside of thethe participation for the first time of a significant
United States and Canada was founded in 1878 innumber of players from Major League Baseball.
Cuba, which maintains a rich baseball tradition andThe 117th meeting of the International Olympic
whose national team has been one of the world'sCommittee, held in Singapore in July 2005, voted
strongest since international play began in the latenot to hold baseball and softball tournaments at
1930s. Professional baseball leagues began to formthe 2012 Summer Olympic Games, but they will
in other countries between the world wars,remain Olympic sports during the 2008 Summer
including the Netherlands (formed in 1922),Olympic Games and will be put to vote again for
Australia (1934), Japan (1936), and Puerto Ricoeach succeeding Summer Olympics. The
(1938). After World War II, professional leagueselimination of baseball and softball from the 2012
were founded in many Latin American nations,Olympic program enabled the IOC to consider
most prominently Venezuela (1945), Mexicoadding two different sports to the program, but
(1945), and the Dominican Republic (1951). In Asia,no other sport received a majority of votes
Korea (1982), Taiwan (1990), and mainland Chinafavoring its inclusion. While baseball's lack of
(2003) all have professional leagues.substantial appeal in much of the world was a
Many European countries have pro leagues asfactor; more important is the unwillingness of
well, the most successful beside the Dutch beingMajor League Baseball to have a break during the
the Italian league founded in 1948. Compared toGames so that its players can participate,
those in Asia and Latin America, the varioussomething that the National Hockey League now
European leagues and the one in Australiadoes during the Winter Olympic Games. Because
historically have had no more than niche appeal.of the seasonal nature of baseball and the high
Recently, the sport has begun to grow inpriority its fans place on the integrity of
popularity in those nations, most notably inmajor-league statistics from one season to the
Australia, which won a surprise silver medal in thenext, it would be more difficult to accommodate
2004 Olympic Games. In 2007, the Israel Baseballsuch a break in MLB.
League, featuring six teams, was launched.