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Imperialism32 · 05-15-2020, 02:59 PM

April 1, 1960

OPINION: World Baseball Alliance Already A Resounding Success
Eric Maier, The New York Leder

The first official pitch of the newly-formed World Baseball Alliance hasn't even technically been thrown, but I'm ready to declare it a wild success. There were doubters. They said the leagues were too different, the countries were too different, you'd never be able to get everyone on the same page.

But the World Baseball Championship knocked those arguments out of the yard like Maximo Loaiza when he sees a flat slider. In Busan, South Korea, we witnessed 32 countries come together and put on a heck of a show.

It ended with Loaiza and his Dominican Republic teammates moving the party from the mound out to the right field bleachers, where their supporters had gathered. A Dominican flag that had been waving all game long in the upper deck had made its way down. It was passed over the fence and Loaiza grabbed it and draped himself in it, then took off around the warning track for a victory lap.

The Korean fans surely felt crushed. They had shown up in the tens of thousands all tournament long, showcasing to the world their fervor for the sport. And they packed the stands for the finale, eager to see their team take the title in their home country. The air got sucked out early with a pair of home runs, but then that miraculous grand slam to bring them within a run... and then disappointment, their boys unable to rally one final time.

Some had long exited, bolting practically before the final pitch smacked into the catcher's mitt. But others were still inside, maybe in their seats, maybe on the concourse. Loaiza made his way around the dirt track, and for a second they didn't know what to do.

Boo him? This was their enemy, the one who had almost single-handedly ripped the trophy from their hands. (The Dominican team won by 3, Loaiza had 4 RBIs... you can do the math) And how he was parading around their ballpark with his flag. Booing would have been appropriate.

But there was no booing. There was a moment of quiet, and then... applause. Starting low and rising high, the Korean fans clapped as the Dominican team made their way around with their flag and the trophy.

And sure, they were applauding the champs. But more than that, they were applauding baseball. The sport was the star, all tournament long. 32 countries coming together for one sport. For the dawn of a new era.

It's now April, which means the party is over and the true test begins. Last year some teams were barnstorming, others were sideshows. Some leagues played 100 games, some played 150. Now we've got four major leagues, with uniform rules across the board. The winners of each will meet in October and declare a true World Series champion. Will it work?

Well, the World Baseball Championship proved that we have far more in common than apart. Consider me a believer.

05-15-2020, 02:59 PM	#9
Imperialism32 Major Leagues Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 341	April 1, 1960 OPINION: World Baseball Alliance Already A Resounding Success Eric Maier, The New York Leder The first official pitch of the newly-formed World Baseball Alliance hasn't even technically been thrown, but I'm ready to declare it a wild success. There were doubters. They said the leagues were too different, the countries were too different, you'd never be able to get everyone on the same page. But the World Baseball Championship knocked those arguments out of the yard like Maximo Loaiza when he sees a flat slider. In Busan, South Korea, we witnessed 32 countries come together and put on a heck of a show. It ended with Loaiza and his Dominican Republic teammates moving the party from the mound out to the right field bleachers, where their supporters had gathered. A Dominican flag that had been waving all game long in the upper deck had made its way down. It was passed over the fence and Loaiza grabbed it and draped himself in it, then took off around the warning track for a victory lap. The Korean fans surely felt crushed. They had shown up in the tens of thousands all tournament long, showcasing to the world their fervor for the sport. And they packed the stands for the finale, eager to see their team take the title in their home country. The air got sucked out early with a pair of home runs, but then that miraculous grand slam to bring them within a run... and then disappointment, their boys unable to rally one final time. Some had long exited, bolting practically before the final pitch smacked into the catcher's mitt. But others were still inside, maybe in their seats, maybe on the concourse. Loaiza made his way around the dirt track, and for a second they didn't know what to do. Boo him? This was their enemy, the one who had almost single-handedly ripped the trophy from their hands. (The Dominican team won by 3, Loaiza had 4 RBIs... you can do the math) And how he was parading around their ballpark with his flag. Booing would have been appropriate. But there was no booing. There was a moment of quiet, and then... applause. Starting low and rising high, the Korean fans clapped as the Dominican team made their way around with their flag and the trophy. And sure, they were applauding the champs. But more than that, they were applauding baseball. The sport was the star, all tournament long. 32 countries coming together for one sport. For the dawn of a new era. It's now April, which means the party is over and the true test begins. Last year some teams were barnstorming, others were sideshows. Some leagues played 100 games, some played 150. Now we've got four major leagues, with uniform rules across the board. The winners of each will meet in October and declare a true World Series champion. Will it work? Well, the World Baseball Championship proved that we have far more in common than apart. Consider me a believer.