Baseball World Cup: Difference between revisions
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For much of its early existence, the competition was limited to the nations of Central America and the Caribbean; the [[United States national team|United States]] withdrew early from the [[1942 Amateur World Series|1942 series]], and would not return until [[1969 Amateur World Series|1969]]. The next edition, in [[1970 Amateur World Series|1970]], saw two European national teams ([[Italy national baseball team|Italy]] and [[Netherlands national baseball team|the Netherlands]]) participate for the first time; in 1972, [[Japan national baseball team|Japan]] became the first Asian country to participate in the global baseball tournament. |
For much of its early existence, the competition was limited to the nations of Central America and the Caribbean; the [[United States national team|United States]] withdrew early from the [[1942 Amateur World Series|1942 series]], and would not return until [[1969 Amateur World Series|1969]]. The next edition, in [[1970 Amateur World Series|1970]], saw two European national teams ([[Italy national baseball team|Italy]] and [[Netherlands national baseball team|the Netherlands]]) participate for the first time; in 1972, [[Japan national baseball team|Japan]] became the first Asian country to participate in the global baseball tournament. |
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[[File:Wereldkampioenschappen honkbal in Haarlem tussen Cuba en Puerto Rico Lourdes G, Bestanddeelnr 933-7144.jpg|thumb|[[Lourdes Gourriel|Lourdes Gurriel]] at the 1986 AWS|left]] |
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Until 1998 the competition was limited to strictly amateur players. After [[1998 Baseball World Cup|1998]], professional [[minor league baseball|minor league]] players competed, but [[Major League Baseball]] did not allow its players to participate. In the months leading up to the high-profile first [[World Baseball Classic]] in [[2006 World Baseball Classic|2006]], many commentators heralded it as a "Baseball World Cup", perhaps not realizing that a tournament of that description already existed and had for almost seventy years. |
Until 1998 the competition was limited to strictly amateur players. After [[1998 Baseball World Cup|1998]], professional [[minor league baseball|minor league]] players competed, but [[Major League Baseball]] did not allow its players to participate. In the months leading up to the high-profile first [[World Baseball Classic]] in [[2006 World Baseball Classic|2006]], many commentators heralded it as a "Baseball World Cup", perhaps not realizing that a tournament of that description already existed and had for almost seventy years. |
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Revision as of 23:08, 8 March 2024
| Most recent season or competition: 2011 Baseball World Cup | |
 The John Moores Trophy awarded in 1938 | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1938 |
| Ceased | 2011 |
| No. of teams | 16 (in 2011) |
| Continent | International |
| Last champion(s) |  Netherlands |
| Most titles |  Cuba (25 titles) |
| WBSC Championship |
|---|
| Amateur World Series |
| Baseball World Cup |
| World Baseball Classic |
The Baseball World Cup (BWC) was an international baseball tournament for national teams around the world, sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). First held in 1938 as the Amateur World Series (AWS), it was, for most of its history, the highest level of international baseball competition in the world. Even after it was supplanted in this regard in 2006 by the modern World Baseball Classic (WBC), the Baseball World Cup was still considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship, along with the WBC and the Summer Olympic Games.[1][2]
After the 2011 tournament, the Baseball World Cup was discontinued in favor of an expanded World Baseball Classic; the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) – successor to the IBAF – now organizes the WBC and awards its winner the title of "World Champion."[3] Additionally, the WBSC sanctions two new tournaments: the biennial 23U Baseball World Cup (begun as the 21U Baseball World Cup in 2014) and its quadrennial, flagship tournament, the WBSC Premier12 (starting in 2015), which involves the twelve best-ranked national teams in the world.[4]
History
The Baseball World Cup was held 38 times; the final one was in 2011 in Panama. The first tournament, held in 1938, featured only two teams, but the last tournament included 22 participants; the previous two featured 16 and 18 teams (in 2007 and 2005, respectively). The World Cup was originally called the Amateur World Series, until the tournament in 1988.
For much of its early existence, the competition was limited to the nations of Central America and the Caribbean; the United States withdrew early from the 1942 series, and would not return until 1969. The next edition, in 1970, saw two European national teams (Italy and the Netherlands) participate for the first time; in 1972, Japan became the first Asian country to participate in the global baseball tournament.
Until 1998 the competition was limited to strictly amateur players. After 1998, professional minor league players competed, but Major League Baseball did not allow its players to participate. In the months leading up to the high-profile first World Baseball Classic in 2006, many commentators heralded it as a "Baseball World Cup", perhaps not realizing that a tournament of that description already existed and had for almost seventy years.
However, the 2006 World Baseball Classic was the first international baseball tournament to include active players from the top-level major leagues around the world — namely Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball — making it a closer equivalent to the world cups of other sports, which commonly include players from the most prestigious professional leagues, than to the mostly-amateur Baseball World Cup.
Trophy
The champions of the first several Amateur World Series tournaments were presented the John Moores Trophy, named in honor of John Moores, a sponsor of the British Baseball Federation and future Everton F.C. executive.[5] Like the Stanley Cup, it was a single trophy passed from winner to winner, with the names of the world champions engraved; however, only the winners of the 1938, 1939, and 1940 editions are engraved (England and Cuba); the United States withdrew from the AWS in 1942, and the trophy was apparently not awarded after that.[6][7][a]
When Jaime Mariné succeeded Leslie Mann as president of the IBF during the 1940 Amateur World Series, he renamed the trophy the Copa Presidente Batista, after Fulgencio Batista, the president of Cuba.[8] Mariné had participated in the Cuban Revolution of 1933 that brought Batista to power and had organized the dictator's Military Intelligence Service in 1935.[9]
Tournament results
Medal table
| Rank | Country | Gold 
|
Silver 
|
Bronze 
|
Total 
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba
|
25 | 4 | 2 | 31 |
| 2 |  United States
|
4 | 8 | 3 | 15 |
| 3 |  Venezuela
|
3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| 4 |  Colombia
|
2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 |  South Korea
|
1 | 5 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 |  Puerto Rico
|
1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| 7 |  Dominican Republic
|
1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 8 |  Great Britain
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Netherlands
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 |  Nicaragua
|
0 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 11 |  Mexico
|
0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 12 |  Japan
|
0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 13 |  Chinese Taipei
|
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 14 |  Panama
|
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 |  Canada
|
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 39 | 40 | 37 | 116 | |
See also
- Women's Baseball World Cup
- Baseball awards#World
- Baseball at the Summer Olympics
- Intercontinental Cup (International Baseball Federation (IBAF))
- International Amateur Baseball Tournament
- WBSC Premier12
- World Baseball Classic
Notes
References
- ^ "IBAF World Ranking Notes" (PDF). International Baseball Federation. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- ^ "Singapore 2005: 2012 Olympic Sport Vote". International Olympic Committee. 11 July 2005. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
- ^ "Premier12 2019 Official Program - Page 6" (PDF). WBSC. WBSC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ The Congress approved a new format of International tournaments
- ^ "Amateur World Series". WBSC.org. World Baseball Softball Confederation.
- ^ Leslie Mann (1940). Baseball Around the World. International Amateur Baseball Federation.
- ^ a b "Lot #52: THE JOHN MOORES TROPHY (1938)". SCP Auctions. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ "THE HISTORY OF IBAF". Sporting Scribe. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
- ^ Riccardo Schiroli (2019). The Game We Love. World Baseball Softball Confederation. p. 30.
External links
International baseball | ||
|---|---|---|
| WBSC Events |  | |
| Minor World Events | ||
| Defunct World Events | ||
| Africa | ||
| Americas | ||
| Asia | ||
| Europe | ||
| Oceania | ||