Baseball

Baseball is one of several sports not included in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Baseball fans aren't angry, as previous editions show that baseball sports isn't part of the Olympic program when this multi-sports event is held in Europe. Barcelona (1992) and Athens (2004) are the only exceptions, and this could be due to goodwill. And hardcore fans would point out that the European Baseball Championships is held every two or three years. But the best European baseball players are no match to the best players from the rest of the world. 

Let's look at the result of the last four editions:

2000 Sydney Olympics

Gold: Cuba

Silver: Taiwan

Bronze: Japan

2004 Athens Olympics

Gold:  Cuba

Silver: Australia

Bronze: Japan

2008 Beijing Olympics

Gold: South Korea

Silver: Cuba 

Bronze: USA

2020 Tokyo Olympics

Gold: Japan

Silver: USA 

Bronze: Dominican Republic

The previous results would show that the North American and Asian teams have dominated the baseball competition these past decades. And the trend is likely to continue in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Some would wonder if the trend would change if a European team would make it to the podium.

The answer is NO. Football is the most popular sport in the European continent, so popular that both basketball and tennis couldn't come close. Any basketball fan could cite Dennis Shroder and the rest of the German men's basketball team that won the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Infrastructure is the other reason, where football stadiums are a ubiquitous sight.

Last but not the least, baseball is not ingrained in European culture. In other words, baseball is more of an American sport. There's one more reason, though. . 

The Summer Olympics is a quadrennial multi-sport event, and the Olympic program consists of sports that are popular all over the world. Or most. Baseball at the 2020 Olympics featured six teams, but it doesn't mean that the sport lost its worldwide popularity. The pandemic was a factor. An Olympic team event features 12 participating teams, where most of them qualified after the outcome of a world championships, or regional championships, held the year before the Olympic year.

Some followers of the sport are getting bored at the predictability, as the teams, or countries, that have a baseball culture are the ones that usually compete in the Olympics. It's the case with other sports, but it would take a generation or two before a new team, or country, would qualify for the Summer Games. 

Analysis and observation

If baseball will be played in the Paris Olympics, which teams. or countries, would medal in the event. Baseball betting would be easy. Let's have a look: 

Gold: Cuba

Silver: Japan

Bronze: USA

The 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The Americans should've won the gold medal, but finished third behind Cuba and Japan. And these three teams would make it to the medal podium in Paris if it would be held.

Cuba has a deep baseball culture, and this island nation would owe it to her northern neighbor. It's ironic if one would talk about Fidel Castro's resistance to the US government. Volleyball, the other team sport where Cuba excelled for decades, was affected by the political instability that happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It wasn't the case with baseball. It's not hard to know why. Baseball is not popular in most countries. It's too early to predict the medal winners of the 2028 Summer Olympics, but expect Cuba to make it to the podium. 

Japan is the next-best team, the only Asian country that has a deep baseball culture like Cuba. This adoration, or passion, in baseball goes back to the post-World War II era. It would surprise Baby Boomers, but there's proof of it. Film buffs couldn't forget the taut baseball scenes in Akira Kurosawa's "Stray Dog". The story took place in Tokyo after the war. The Japanese will be the defending Olympic champion when the 2028 Summer Games commence. And there might be an upset in the semifinals. 

The USA is likely to finish third, but it might have been different. The Major League Baseball (MLB) doesn't allow its players to participate in the Summer Olympics, so only younger players, or those who are still studying in universities, are allowed to compete in this quadrennial event. There have been talks about MLB finally giving the green light and let the pros compete in the Olympics. It could've happened this year, but Los Angeles would host the next one. Many fans are holding their breath. 

European Baseball Championship

Europe will be a dark horse in baseball soon. It could happen next decade, when Canada and South Korea are two of several countries bidding to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. For those who are wondering about this sport event, we list down the past winners:

2023: Spain

2021: Netherlands

2019: Netherlands

2016: Netherlands

2014: Netherlands

2012: Italy

Netherlands is the most dominant nation in the European Baseball Championships but their best performance in the Olympics is a fifth-place finish in 1996 and 2000. Israel is the European country that qualified for the 2020 Olympics. Will the Netherlands get another chance in 2028? What are your thoughts? 

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