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Baseball finally to have a real
World Series
May 11, 2005
The first true World Series of baseball is coming to Arizona next spring.
Not the big one between the winners of the National League and the
America League.
This will be a long-awaited showdown of the world's best players from 16
top baseball-playing nations competing for their home countries.
Known officially as the "World Baseball Classic," but destined to dubbed
baseball's World Cup, the tournament will be held will in March,
beginning with preliminary rounds in Arizona, Florida, Tokyo and Puerto
Rico.
"It's going to be awesome. People in Puerto Rico are going to go crazy,"
said Diamondbacks shortstop Alex Cintron, a native of Puerto Rico who
broke into a wide smile when told the tournament was approved.
A world cup tournament has been in discussion for years, and organizers
originally hoped to play in 2005. But the complications involved
bringing the professional leagues, players unions and top international
sports federations of so many countries together at one time delayed the
process.
The official announcement came Wednesday night at the Major League
Baseball owners' meetings in New York.
"This gathering of baseball's brightest stars will be an outstanding
platform to grow the game internationally," Commissioner Bud Selig said.
A spokesman for MLB said final details, including venues for the games
in Arizona, will be released in July. But, subject to minor changes, the
broad plans are set.
Play will begin March 3-5, most likely in the Tokyo Dome, with four
teams from the Asia division: Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. All four
have professional baseball leagues.
The other three pools will play March 8-11.
Puerto Rico, Panama, Italy and Cuba likely would play their preliminary
rounds at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, recent
part-time home for the Montreal Expos. Italy still isn't confirmed and
Cuba's participation depends on approval from the U.S. State Department,
but both are expected to compete.
Arizona likely will host the United States, Canada, Mexico and,
probably, South Africa.
Teams from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and the
Netherlands would play in Florida.
Opening-round games in Florida likely will be played in spring training
facilities, while the games in Arizona may be split between Bank One
Ballpark and spring training sites.
"I would imagine two or three of the pool games could be played at BOB,"
Dozer said by phone from the owners' meetings.
"Those would be games that might draw more than 12,000 fans, say USA vs.
Mexico or USA-Canada."
Dozer also said BOB also might host either the semifinals or
championship round for the entire tournament.
"We're definitely in the mix for those rounds," he said. "I think
they're thinking us or the West Coast so no one has a really long trip."
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