So they're eliminating softball from the Olympics after this year.

Bake

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Tue Aug-12-08 11:14 AM
Original message

So they're eliminating softball from the Olympics after this year.

Because the US women always win it.

I guess that will make SOME PEOPLE happy ...

Sigh.

Bake

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geomon666

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Tue Aug-12-08 12:01 PM
Response to Original message

1. Aren't they eliminating men's baseball too? n/t

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PVnRT

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Tue Aug-12-08 12:08 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Yes

Although one country doesn't really dominate it.

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NJmaverick

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Tue Aug-12-08 12:19 PM
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3. What was the official reason for ending it? n/t

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femmocrat

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Tue Aug-12-08 02:52 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. Not sure if this is "official" but...

One of the commentators (sorry, don't remember who it was) said it was because not all the countries play baseball and softball.

He said it could be in 4 to 6 years (which doesn't make sense, because 6 yrs. would be the winter games)?

I really enjoy the softball. I think they should get rid of basketball instead. :shrug:

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Angleae

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Tue Aug-12-08 03:17 PM
Response to Reply #4

5. Basketball is played world-wide.

Edited on Tue Aug-12-08 03:19 PM by Angleae

Baseball/softball is played by how many countries (US, Cuba, Japan, Taiwan, Canada (somewhat), maybe S. Korea).

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SoxFan

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Tue Aug-12-08 03:35 PM
Response to Reply #5

7. But men's field hockey is left alone?

Team handball? Rhythmic gymnastics?

Let's be frank. The IOC is eurocentric, and more specifically, Franco-centric. This was a way of poking the US in the eye.

The sport's governing body, the international baseball federation, has 112 member nations. During the World Baseball Classic, these are countries that fielded teams:

United States
Canada
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Mexico
Panama
Venezuela
Japan
China
Taiwan
South Africa
Italy
Netherlands
Australia
Puerto Rico (competes separately from US, much like Scotland in other sports)

Nicaragua and Colombia have also had some success in international play.

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jakefrep

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Tue Aug-12-08 03:30 PM
Response to Original message

6. This is a bad thing?

There aren't enough countries playing at a high level to conduct a decent, competitive tournament.

The Olympic baseball tournament has been a joke.

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Bake

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Tue Aug-12-08 03:41 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. It sure beats synchronized diving ...

Or that thing that looks like soccer, except that it's played indoors, and instead of kicking, the players catch and throw a smaller ball. Yeah, that's a real popular sport.

Bake

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