Baseball in the Philippines
Baseball in the Philippines | |
---|---|
Country | Philippines |
Governing body | Philippine Amateur Baseball Association |
National team(s) | Philippines |
First played | 1898 |
National competitions | |
Philippine Baseball League Championship | |
Club competitions | |
Baseball Philippines (inactive) | |
International competitions | |
Baseball was introduced in the Philippines during the American colonial period. Baseball was a national pastime in the country. The sport has become a re-emerging sport in the recent years. National policy and programs on baseball are, since 2018, directed by a renewed organization recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee—the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA), reestablished the same year.
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Early history
Baseball was introduced in the Philippines by the Americans. The first baseball game in the Philippines was played in September 1898 weeks after the
Arlie Pond was instrumental to the growth of baseball in the country.[4]
Baseball's popularity saw a decline from 1898 to 1923 because of claims of neglect by the Department of Public Instruction. Prior to 1998, sporting officials claimed that the department, through the Bureau of Education, had supported baseball in the country with the goal of eliminating
Late 20th century
Baseball experienced a boost when the Philippines hosted the first Asian Baseball Championship in 1954 and emerged as champions in the inaugural tournament. Bobby Balcena became the first player of Filipino descent to play in the Major League Baseball in 1956. Baseball continued to be a popular sport up to the mid 1970s. Political conflict among baseball officials led to the decline of the sports in the country. Basketball eventually gained popularity over baseball.[6][7]
From 1971 to 1994, the Philippines did not take part in any international competition. Baseball suffered from lack of financial support and a decrease of baseball venues. There was also a lack of coverage on television on the sport.[7]
21st century
Since 2005, the Philippine baseball became a re-emerging sport finishing just behind the three Asian baseball powerhouses. The Philippines became a powerhouse in the ASEAN region and has developed rivalries with Thailand and Indonesia. As part of a growing national revival, the professional
To reach out to Filipinos abroad, Canadian TV channel
Unknown to Filipinos at home but known among the Filipino-American baseball fans in the US itself is the fact that there are already players in active playing duties in the MLB whose parents are of Filipino origin, for example, Addison Russell (currently of the Chicago Cubs) and Tim Lincecum (as of present a free agent and formerly of the Texas Rangers). As of November 2018, an alumnus of the Philippine Little League baseball teams, Farhan Zaidi, is the current president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, having grew up in the Philippines and began to play the game when he was a kid.[8]
See also
- Philippines national baseball team
- Baseball Philippines
- List of baseball stadiums in the Philippines
References
- ^ "Baseball Aids Taft". The Pittsburgh Press. March 22, 1903. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Philippine Islands Wild Over Baseball". The Pittsburgh Press. August 2, 1913. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Baseball in the Philippines" (PDF). The New York Times. February 13, 1916. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ Simon, Tom. "Arlie Pond". SABR Baseball Biography Project. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Baseball Dying Out in Philippine Islands". Reading Eagle. July 20, 1923. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Paba to launch first pro baseball here". Manila Standard. October 11, 1996.
- ^ a b c Fidler, Gabriel. "Philippines Preparing for Baseball Renaissance". Mister Baseball. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "10 things to know about the Giants new president of baseball operations". 7 November 2018.