Mackenzie
Old Brightonian
No I’ve never heard of him or watched a game of baseball.
And I can add Joe DiMaggio and (randomly) Derek Jeter.
Actually I tell a lie - Babe Ruth
But they would know Kohli in Pakistan and Bangladesh two other very large populationsIndia is doing some heavy lifting there!
I don't want this thread to be about which sport is better/more popular but I will just point out that baseball is the most popular sport in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan as well as in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican republic. It's played professionally in a surprising number of countries too.
But the relative popularity of the sports isn't really what I was asking about.
I'm genuinely interested to know if sports fans from outside the traditional baseball markets know who Ohtani is. Has he transcended the limitations of the relatively small reach of baseball or is he just a mega star only for baseball fans?
Smaller than the population of the u.s/canada and Korea though. Then you can chuck in Japan's population too.But they would know Kohli in Pakistan and Bangladesh two other very large populations
Fancy calling a competition a World Series when only two countries take partSmaller than the population of the u.s/canada and Korea though. Then you can chuck in Japan's population too.
If you take out India's population then the cricket/baseball knowing public is probably pretty even.
14 years ago, Rick Ankiel of the St Louis Cardinals was the first player since Babe Ruth to have won 10 or more games in a season, and to hit 50 career home runs.Blimey! You learn something everyday.
I've probably been to about 25 MLB games over the past 25 years when escorting tours in North America, but I haven't been to a game for about 10 years (apart from Red Sox v Yankees at London Stadium).
I can name plenty of ex-players, but no current players.
I'm off to Japan again in 8 days time, I guess Ohtani was the player whose face I saw on lots of billboards earlier in the year.
But until 5 minutes ago I'd never heard of him.
@Garry Nelson's Left Foot are you going to the Japan v Australia WC qualifier on 15 Oct?
It's called the World Series because it was created by a US newspaper called The World. It is their series.Fancy calling a competition a World Series when only two countries take part
Hit percentage is what? Percentage of at bats getting on base?14 years ago, Rick Ankiel of the St Louis Cardinals was the first player since Babe Ruth to have won 10 or more games in a season, and to hit 50 career home runs.
Ohtani blows those stats out of the water. Has won 10 or more games in both 2022 and 2023, while he has hit over 50 home runs THIS SEASON, and 225 in his career overall. Last month he hit .393. Just one more hit in the month would have put him above .400.
This.I know who he is but only because his 50 homers and 50 steals warranted a report on BBC Sport a week or two back. As with many top US sportsmen and women, he is virtually unknown in most of the world.
Myth apparentlyIt's called the World Series because it was created by a US newspaper called The World. It is their series.
Softball is a bigger ball, pitched underarm and played mainly by girls and mixed teamsIs baseball the same as softball ?
Because its the most followed sport in India, yes. Bit like how table tennis is one of the biggest sport in the worlds.. yet it isn't.Not really: cricket is the second most followed sport in the world while baseball is a niche sport, played seriously in just one country.
OK. You are right, although the New York World newspaper was heavily involved in promoting it in the early 1900'sMyth apparently
Paper hasn’t existed since the early 1930s either
I’m going for Americans bigging themselves up
A quick google search would suggest that baseball is the most popular sport in nine countries.Not really: cricket is the second most followed sport in the world while baseball is a niche sport, played seriously in just one country.
Baseball IS a great sport.No a few others too, much like cricket. It's not a great sport but I sometimes watch it late night on BT Sports/TNT. I root for the Blue Jays to counter American big headedness