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Cricket and rugby a worldwide sport? Only in Britain and former British colonies is it widely played. This culture of sport has been imposed upon former subjugated people. Has anyone else learned to play these games of their own volition? Baseball is widely played in almost every country in the Western Hemisphere and Japan and other Asian Countries. Let us not forget that baseball is an Olympic sport while cricket and rugby I guess are played at the "Commonwealth Intramurals." The British press always myopically sneers at the thought of baseball calling its championship the "world" series while a closer inspection of the league reveals that every team has a substantial amount of players from foreign countries. These players are the best baseball players in the world and so as a consequence baseball has earned its right to call its championship the World Series.
From your untrained perspective baseball appears to be a simple game, while cricket has several "nuances". Obviously you have never played the game, it is one of the most complex sports to play. Where else but baseball can someone be successful when they only succeed 3 out of 10 times at what they do? (.300 average hitter) Also, in the field there are a myriad of decisions to be made and the correct decision changes with every pitch. Ask anyone who has played the game and they'll agree that it is one of the most difficult games to play correctly. From what I have seen, cricket and rugby seem utterly simple in comparison, but I have not played the games so I concede that there are several nuances of which I am not aware.
This article is typical of the British national lack of self-esteem. Imagine, if Michael Owen were on pace to break a goal scoring record, the American press would not belittle his achievements and try to aggrandise baseball at soccer's expense. I have followed the British press and people for years and have realized that this is typical British reaction to American achievement. If the jealousy does not stem from sport, then it manifests in arts, entertainment and geopolitical importance. The sun set long ago and the British collective psyche is typical of the bitterness of a once powerful but now feeble old man.
Robert Reel, USA

As another cricket-loving Brit in America, I have to echo my enthusiasm for baseball. It took me four years and some bafflement, but now I follow the New York Yankees assiduously. Baseball and cricket are also very similar. They are both played by men who in all other sports would in general be considered hopelessly unathletic, but possess the dazzling hand-eye coordination that allows them to pull off dazzling displays of play. Both sports contain interminable stretches of inactivity followed by a burst of sensational play which usually occurs when you are looking the other way. Both games are really very simple, but are made incredibly complex through arcane patter that no-one knows the origins of. Both games have innumerable and incomprehensible statistics that can be cited by complete bores to each other during longueurs in play, and both games-played during the summer-encourage a wistful remembrance of things past, youth lost, and the failure of all expectations. And it is because of these that, in spite of the ridiculous commercialization of both cricket and baseball, they are both passionate examples of the human condition, and will remain so.
Martin Rowe, USA

By fuss, I mean it to be an eventual global fuss in the future. Baseball shares with North America a relatively short history and a curiosity in its bold gestures. It is an escape and hope for many countries where poverty and oppression rein. Cubans with skill have a ticket to leave their unfortunate circumstances and are recognized in their adopted new homes quite readily. The players are treated like an extended family by millions of fans throughout the continent, regardless of class, colour and upbringing. Many a people listen to their team and defend, castigate or cry when all goes wrong, yet hang in to see how they do in the next game, the next series, the next season. But this is no longer just a North American phenomenon. In the past ten years, baseball has been adopted by Japan, South Korea and Australia, with exceptional players being developed and a fantastic fanbase encouraging them on. So, it is not inconceivable that more and more countries and peoples start to adopt baseball as a past time.
Gary, Canada

It has its traditions, like spitting and nose-to-nose arguments with the umpire, but it's a distinctly American thing. (Not really Japanese or Canadian, they are just imitators in the absence of anything else.) Cricket, the alternative bat and ball game, doesn't have the coarser atmosphere or cruder gratifications necessary for American popularity. Within its context, the McGuire achievement merits the noise, but that context is a narrow one. Incidentally, I make these comments as a former baseball season ticket holder who has now returned to being a fan of good old "football 'n' cricket".
Barrie Martindale, Canada

"Genuinely worldwide sports like cricket . . ." oh puhleaze! Baseball is popular in the US, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Nicaragua . . . and has a pretty solid following in places like Australia too. And incidentally, North America is not, as you suggest, a single country. It's a continent.
Graham Long, Canada

How can they make all that fuss when the stroke is the same every time, there is no pitch or time coming into play and they need gloves to catch a ball as big as a grapefruit?
Geoff Brice, Australia

The world should not make a fuss over baseball and Mark McGwire's sacred achievement. Only Americans, both North Americans and South Americans, understand the beauty of baseball and its semi-religious stature. You had to grow up with baseball to understand the importance of "a runner in scoring position." Mr McGwire's achievement gives him sainthood with the other greats of baseball - Ruth, Maris, Mantle, Wilson, Williams and Aaron, among others. Mr McGwire broke a record that stood for 37 years. It is a record that cursed its last holder. It is a record that acted as if it was unbreakable, yet was meant to be broken. The amazing aspect of the record is that two men will probably break it this year. Baseball fans have been blessed this year.
As for your view that soccer (English football), rugby and cricket(?) being the three world sports, you are probably right. A world, that was conquered and educated by the English, can appreciate English sports and play them. It's just too bad for the world that it will never know the joy of the "grand slam", the "no hitter", and the "suicide squeeze" because they are mystical to a baseball fan.
David Smith, United States

I live in Japan where, sadly, they play baseball. I've never seen a game more brain-numbingly dull, and I'm looking forward to the day when a TV manufacturer puts out a model that automatically switched channels whenever the men in long underwear appear.
J Burgess, Japan

Is it worth all the fuss? Funny. I remember the World Cup being framed in the States with the exact same question. The answer is no... to both. And yes... to both. Both are sports that can be wonderful to watch when played at their finest. But they are sports. Everyone should lighten up and enjoy them. If by "fuss" you mean forgetting about reality for a couple of hours a week and enjoying a child's game then I guess it is worth it. Neither is worth getting drunk and violent over.
John Mavroudis, United States

Like so many imperialists before it, the United States is now under the post-colonial critical spotlight. Is the US foisting its values, its desires and its dreams on an unwilling world? In so many areas, I agree that the US is guilty. But baseball is baseball. It is a sport. No one is blackmailed into liking the sport; no one has to keep up with it. There is no legal or social compulsion for people either inside or outside the US, to follow, or even know, any-thing about baseball for that matter. If baseball has become the latest assault on the world's common psyche, then I argue that it never asked to be. Personally, I neither like nor follow baseball. Living in Norway, I do not have to. Living in the United States previously, I did not have to. Let those who do enjoy the game in the United States and elsewhere, do so. Today's media audience has millions of channels and choices to receive information. If you see a game on television or an article in the newspaper that you don't like, then just move on.
Ryan Skinner, Norway (formerly USA)

When I lived in North America I went to a baseball game, once. There's little of the tension buildup between the players like you get in cricket. You won't find an Atherton / Donald style battle there. But I guess it's something to watch while you stuff your face with hotdogs.
Mark Gipson, UK

I only wish we could have such a crowd reaction to the beating of a record in a major sport in this country - I don't suppose many people even know, for example, the most number of goals scored in a football season, nor really care. Though we may have given the US most of their sports, they can still teach us a thing or two about passion and knowledge of their sports.
Tony Whyte, England

Americans find it difficult to concentrate on two things at once. We can sleep safe in the knowledge that there will not be an active foreign policy in the middle of a World Series. This silly little game is definitely under-rated.
Dave Evans, Finland

America's games reflect our culture. America is a powerful nation that respects power. American sports reward power...the home run, the touchdown, the slam dunk. There is strategy, to be certain, to any American sport (baseball, football, basketball....sorry, hockey is Canadian and is basically soccer on ice, with head bashing, a la American football). But it isn't about instant gratification. Many Americans complain that baseball is too slow. This is part of the MTV mentality that permeates our society. Baseball is truly a thinking man's game. When you consider the pitcher is throwing a ball approaching or exceeding 100 mph, and makes it do "tricks" (dip, curve, change direction, change speed), and the hitter has just a split second to decide if it is hittable, it is a test of reflexes and power. Baseball is a game that requires a great amount of skill. When a player comes along who can seemingly hit home runs with ease, shattering records that have stood for decades, it is no wonder baseball-loving nations (USA, Japan, Cuba, much of Latin America and Asia) take notice.
We call it the World Series for a reason. American teams are the best in the world. The same is true of the NBA; the team that wins the NBA Finals are the "world " champions, because there is no one better, period. (See McDonalds Championship, NBA champs vs champs of other basketball leagues around the world.)
It doesn't matter that Americans don't care for soccer or Brits don't care about baseball. You play your games, we play ours. Sports are a needed diversion from our ordinary lives. And when one person steps up and does something no other human on the planet has ever done before, and makes it look so easy, it is a good reason to create a fuss. Mark McGwire embodies not only the American spirit, but also the human spirit.
Anything is possible, and the fact that not one, but two players will likely shatter the record that has stood for nearly 40 years in the same season, is proof that nothing is beyond the imagination.
Ewing Keith, USA

Surely baseball is not a truly global sport, but is cricket? Seems me that your very English reaction to the vent is more than a bit narrow minded.
Ismo Karvinen, Finland

I have lived both in the UK and the US for a number of years and find that, above, you are off-base(!) to call cricket a world sport and baseball not. Cricket is every bit as arcane as baseball, not any more tactical or cerebral than baseball (which can be incredibly so), and has only made a stamp of influence in the Commonwealth. This thus makes it similar to baseball, which has made its stamp in American spheres of influence. Both sports are designed to be watched on a sunny summer afternoon while drinking tea or beer or whatever, and both can be played with little fear of bad injury, which is not the case for either rugby or American football. The importance of baseball (like cricket) is a matter of perspective and, had I not lived in the UK, what would I care or know about centuries and the like? Sport is necessarily ethnocentric and there are very sports, like football, athletics, and, to an increasing extent, basketball, which are truly worldwide. But for the fans, the fact that a sport is not of worldwide importance does not diminish the importance of one of the greatest records in the game.
Gregory Hartl, Switzerland

I was very surprised to read the comments of Britons describing cricket as "tactical". Baseball involves a great deal of strategy. It is an extremely enjoyable game to play and to watch. Professional baseball in the USA has a 125-year history of exhaustive and thorough statistical records. There's no denying that breaking one of those records is an extraordinary feat. When the 1994 World Cup went 2 hours with no scoring I fully expected soccer fans all over the world to finally admit that the sport is the stupidest, most boring and worthless activity ever dreamed of. But I admire their stubbornness.
William Murphy, USA

Baseball is fine when played in a backyard, as a sport though, it strikes out. There is just not enough happening in the tactical arena, and little more in terms of fast-paced excitement.
Siddhant Kaul, USA

A couple of things to note. First, baseball is highly popular in other countries besides the US (Cuba, Mexico, The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, The Philippines, et al). Second, I agree that the "World Series" is a misnomer until other countries besides the US and Canada have representative 'Major League' teams. Third, it is not a sport that lends itself well to television, as many folks on this forum have attested when actually attending a game (except for the poor bloke who probably witnessed a 1-0 pitchers' duel during his excursion in New York). Fourth and last, Mark McGwire's extraordinary accomplishment has lifted the grey cloud of White House sex scandals, a collapsing Russia, plummeting/rebounding markets, and of course, the Y2K bug.
Matthew Wehman, USA

I may be biased but it's my opinion that baseball is the single greatest team sport in existence. I know a little about cricket and while there are definite similarities, baseball is a much more refined version.
Micheal Beatty, USA

It's interesting reading the various comments. Many seem to consider baseball a strictly North American phenomenon. Yet, if I remember correctly, fully a quarter of all current major league players are originally from various parts of Latin America, where the baseball following continues to grow. Of course, Japan is another region where baseball is quite popular, and even Australia has a professional baseball league. Baseball may not have the global following of, say, football, but it still has its share of international fans. Let me ask this: is football worth it? Is it worth the fan violence and riots? My point is if we Americans get caught up in the home run chase, then so what? It's no different than when other countries get swept up in the World Cup. Speaking of the World Cup, I've seen the "World Series" chided because it's not an international event as the name would lead you to believe. My original point about the international aspect of baseball notwithstanding, The World Series got its name from the "New York World" newspaper, which was the series' original sponsor. Tradition is another important aspect of baseball, and so it's no surprise that the name has remained unchanged.
Lawrence Boucher, USA

To ask the British to celebrate McGwire's 62nd home run is a bit like asking an American to care about the Premier League.
Ned Bronson, United States

There seems to be a lot of standing around, spitting and scratching of various body parts. It truly bewilders me!
Blair, USA

Yes, I think it is. Baseball, much like the UK's long-time favorites such as soccer (football) rugby and cricket, inspire people, give them entertainment, heroes, and something to hope for. And hope is something people really need in this time of politicial and economic instability.... And it's not that confusing if you just pay attention for awhile.
Marcus Boarder, USA

Absolutely not! It is a thoroughly boring game that is played by virtually no one else, but whose best team is oddly dubbed "world champions." Sheer nonsense (and hubris, I might add) I only wish America could catch on that it is football (the real kind) that is the world's greatest sport. In the meantime, I'll be avoiding the television and newspapers. Mark McGuire and Clinton's sex life are seemingly more important than just about everything else.
B. Nikravesh, USA

Hot dogs, weak beer, a good chat and something to watch on the field in between. I've just got home after a thoroughly enjoyable night out at the game.... but it's not cricket. And that's the point isn't it? I can relax and experience the mild tension and excitement of a baseball game all wrapped up in a neat package "a la America" without the intellectual intensity of cricket or the energy of football. I love football and I miss cricket but baseball fills a niche for me.
Nick Pearce, USA ex UK

I hate basebaball. I will not wish it upon my enemy to watch a full game. How America chose such a boring game a national past time is beyond me. It is not fun to play, it is not fun to watch, and I hate to have to hear about it every night.
Yofti, USA

America needs this home run chase more than anything else. In this time of presidential scandals, international turmoil, and financial unease, it is good that we have something that all of us can cheer for.
It is good for the US for another reason. For the past few years, baseball has been relegated to second-class status on account of labour disputes and astronomical salaries. These served to make the sport less relevant to fans than, for instance, basketball. But now, with the increasing worldwide reach of the game, with this year's version of the New York Yankees gunning to become the best team in this half-century, with the several championship races that are still hot after Labor Day and with the race between McGwire and Sosa, America's sport has returned to prominence. You ask if it's worth the fuss. You bet it is.
Tom Soule, USA

Yes, but with qualifications. Normally I would say it is fine to be a fan (as I am), but it is only a game. This season, however, it is a welcome diversion from the mind-numbing, no-meaningful-business-as-usual antics of Clinton, Starr, et al, in the interminable Monica-gate affair. And I would point out that no greater fuss is made over baseball in North America than is made over soccer/football and the World Cup by the rest of the planet.
R McNaughton Phillips, USA

As a transplanted Briton, I think that baseball is the greatest of the American sports. Unlike basketball and football, with their strong genetic elements, baseball is the only American sport based purely on skill. Just try hitting a fast-moving round ball with a round bat, much less knocking it out of the park!
Simon Blight, USA

I am a recent arrival to the USA from the UK. I love cricket and I too wondered what all the fuss was about concerning baseball. However, I have attended a few matches now with my family and I have to say that it is cricket and the like that have to play catch up. The entertainment factor when watching live is vastly superior to that of cricket. In the UK, cricket is still too slow and stuffy in a world that demands more from its sportsmen and women. Baseball successfully mixes sporting prowess with strategic and tactical thinking whilst offering the crowd the means to let off steam. It is a highly orchestrated event and is fun to watch. Admittedly, if cricket crowds in the UK were more like the West Indian and Indian crowds, then I think the game itself would improve. People watch sport to be entertained and cricket competes in the entertainment arena. Baseball does this job very well, so come on MCC, get some life into the game and let people really enjoy it!
Alan Morley, USA/UK

No, but I have to admit that I did watch the game over the weekend. I haven't done that in years. An American tradition maybe, but I prefer other sports like hockey and American Football (NCAA). When you are in the ballpark, baseball is very enjoyable but on TV, it is boring. I am happy for McGwire and Sosa because they are doing so well in their sport, and they are adding some excitement to baseball.
Christine De Lisle, USA

I was brought up on cricket as an Indian. I love both sports. Baseball has just as much strategy as cricket does, plus it is a lot more entertaining.
Satnam P Mathur, USA

Only the Americans can organise a competition for a sport played by virtually no one else but themselves and call it the "World Series". By contrast, there was a complete lack of interest in the US in the World Cup - a truly global event.
Tej Mahil, UK

Being an exile, I miss cricket, but baseball is a great substitute. Playing and watching you soon learn that there is more to the game than merely hitting and running. Pitchers have a number of different pitches just as some of the world's best bowlers can bowl the ball differently. Don't knock the game because it isn't played in Jolly Old England. It is good old fun!
Ronald Keith, USA

I feel that my non-interest in baseball is caused by the fact that it is American. Like American Football, it is a spectator sport, seemingly designed as an aid for the advertising industry. It is called the 'World Series', yet the real world isn't involved and doesn't seem to want to be. Why doesn't America play the rest of the world's games instead of trying to be number one and insisting on making up its own?
Chris Davidson, UK

I'm English, and a huge cricket fan, but in living over here some of the excitement of rounders (sorry, baseball) has rubbed off. GO, MCGWIRE!
Ken, USA

Baseball is the nearest thing the US has to a sport with character and tradition (somewhat soiled by the strike), but it's not a patch on cricket.
John Tomlin, USA

Like so many things in so many places, baseball owes much of its history to the culture that supports it. There is no doubt that to those that play the game, McGuire's feats are as important as Sobers hitting 36 off one over, Lara breaking 500 in a first-class innings, Redgrave's nth gold medal or Roger Bannister going under four minutes for a mile. Is it important.? Yes. Should the rest of the world be interested? Why not. But do non-baseball playing nations really have any idea of the size of this deal? Not really. It's not about whether cricket is better, or whether baseball is merely rounders with a glove to help you catch the ball - it's about sport in general. If you follow a sport - any sport - you can think of an analogy with this feat. Baseball is huge in North America, that doesn't mean the rest of the world needs to know, but it does give you a better idea about other parts of the world if you are able to appreciate their fuss.
Chris Harrison, England

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