quote:Originally posted by workinghard:quote:pretty soon it may not be Americas game
Oh, it will be America's game alright. It's just that it will be Latin America, South America, and Central America, with a touch of North America.
Anyone who watched the 2009 World Baseball Classic might realize that the only place baseball is declining is right here in America. With our own stubborn desire to keep it for ourselves, to keep tied to our own over-romanticized memories of majestic sandlot games that only we have the right to appreciate.
But the Koreans and Japanese didn't seem to give a rip about that rich American history when they showed up with their excellent fundamentals and ability to execute. Watching those guys play this year was a pure delight to me, because I love to watch great baseball being played well. And frankly, I'm sick of watching US teams trotting out big, burly home run hitters who can't lay down a bunt or stay down on a ground ball.
So I say let's get over ourselves and embrace baseball as a world sport. Let's quit trying to make it so condescendingly US-traditional, and grow it into something that future generations will actually participate in. It seems to be flourishing just fine without our BS traditions anyway.