World Baseball Challenge

The World Baseball Challenge is an international baseball competition founded in Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada in 2002 by Larry Seminoff, who is also the founder of the Grand Forks International.

The current incarnation of the event, beginning in 2009, has been held every two years at Prince George Citizen Field in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, Baseball Canada and Baseball B.C. The field of participants for the event typically consists of amateur or somewhat low-level competitors such as the United States Collegiate National Team, the Cuban national baseball B squad, independent Canadian club teams and Japanese industrial clubs.[1]

In 2015, the event's organizers announced that that year's tournament would be postponed until 2016 due to a lack of support from sponsors. Canada, Japan and the United States were slated to be represented by the Langley Blaze, the winners of Japan's Inner-City (Industrial) League and players from the Northwest Collegiate Baseball League, respectively. The Bahamas and Cuba were also expected to play in the tournament.[1]

Tournaments

2009

The United States National Collegiate Baseball Team defeated the German national team by a score of 8-1 in the final. Drew Pomeranz of the University of Mississippi pitched a one-hitter against the tournament's only European team. German starting pitcher Tim Henkenjohann was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.[2] Team USA included several future Major League Baseball players, such as Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Yasmani Grandal, Sonny Gray, Kolten Wong and Pomeranz.[1] Canada, British Columbia, the Axemen and the Bahamas finished in third through sixth place respectively.[2][3]

2011

Cuban national baseball's B team defeated Chinese Taipei 10-5 in the final. The Cuban squad included future American League Rookie of the Year José Abreu.[1]

2013

The Ciego de Ávila Tigres of the Cuban National Series defeated Japan's JX-Eneos 14-4 by mercy rule in the championship game. USA Baseball, with a roster featuring players from the Northwest Collegiate Baseball League, finished third in its return to the tournament.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Johnson, Andrea (May 25, 2015). "World Baseball Challenge postponed until 2016". The Prince George Citizen (Glacier Media). Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Prince George: Team USA one-hits Germany to win World Baseball Challenge". Mister Baseball. July 27, 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "World Baseball Challenge personnel with past/current ties to MLB or professional baseball". BallCharts.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Canada unbeaten at World Baseball Challenge". Baseball Canada. July 12, 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Hawkins, Don (September 15, 2013). "World Baseball Challenge Under Review". 250 News. Retrieved 2 November 2015.

External links

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