March 7, 1960
Inaugural World Baseball Championship Set To Kick Off
It's the day baseball fans around the globe have been dreaming of. Today marks the start of the first annual World Baseball Championship, a showcase tournament featuring 32 nations coming together for a celebration of the beloved game before leagues begin play under the new World Baseball Alliance in April.
And it's not just the fans who are excited.
"It's a big moment for baseball," Dutch shortstop Olivier Roosmalen said. "I think everybody wants to put on that jersey for their country and prove they're the best."
Roosmalen is considered one of the top young stars of the sport, spending the last few years winning batting crowns in his native Netherlands. In April, though, he'll be playing against all the stars of Europe when he suits up for the Berlin Knights. Not that he expects that to slow him down.
"I can hit anybody," he said confidently. "I've been itching to dig in for a long time."
The Netherlands is in Pool B, which also features one of the perceived favorites in the United States. The top two teams from each pool will advance, and their Day 1 starter C.J. Gorski isn't backing down.
"We've heard some stories over here about guys like Roosmalen and Mathew Alkire, and they're some pretty tall tales," he said. "Guys throwing fastballs you can't even see, ballparks needing to be rebuilt because of the home runs they hit, we've heard it all. But baseball is America's pasttime for a reason, and we're gonna show 'em why."
"I'll be playing for a Canadian team during the regular season, actually," he added. "So I definitely plan on making the most of my time playing for my country."
Alkire, a star Australian outfielder, insists that the stories that made their way across the ocean aren't just exaggerated legends.
"No, it's true, they had to move the fences back for Ken Duffield," he insisted, referring to the star 37-year-old Australian catcher. "If they held this tournament in 1950 instead of 1960, he'd be the one everyone is paying to see."
Alkire may be showing his modesty. He's considered not just the best played in Australia but those who have seen him swear he matches up favorably with anyone from any country.
"It's gonna be fun, for sure," he said. "But it's also gonna be instense. This is the beginning of a great chapter in baseball history, so settle in and enjoy the story."
