BEIJING - Major League Baseball's first games in China in March will help prove that baseball is a global sport and deserves a place in the Olympics, MLB senior vice president Paul Archey said on Thursday.
Paul Archey (L), senior vice-president of International Business Operation Major League Baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre and Vice President of San Diego Padres and Hall of Famer Dave Winfield (R) listen to a question during a news conference in Beijing January 24, 2008. [Agencies] |
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will play exhibition games on March 15 and 16 at the 12,000-seat Wukesong field, the venue in August for what could be the last Olympic baseball competition.
Baseball and softball were voted off the Olympic schedule for the London 2012 Games, although the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) is working hard for a return at the 2016 Summer Games.
"We've been working closely with the IBAF to lobby International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and doing things like (these games in China) shows that baseball is truly a global game and worthy of a place at the Olympics," Archey told a news conference.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said one of the great things about the Olympics was that it exposed people of different nations to the sports and skills of others.
"I'm very excited about the fact that baseball is still part of the Games in Beijing because of the number of people that will be exposed to it," he said.
"Hopefully we'd like to believe baseball will still maintain it's connection with the Olympics."
Hall of Fame slugger and Padres vice president Dave Winfield said the fact that Japan won the first World Baseball Classic two years proved the game had appeal outside the U.S.
"WORLD GAME"
"It's a personal disappointment that baseball will not be part of the 2012 Games," he said. "We'll do everything we can to keep it in your mind that baseball is a world game."
The MLB has been working at the grassroots level to try to develop the game in China but most Chinese have had limited exposure to the sport dubbed "America's national pastime".
Torres and Winfield promised there would be plenty of top quality major league players on display on both teams for the Beijing games.
"We're not going to give you a bum roster," Winfield said.
Both were united in their belief that baseball was "moving in the right direction" after the recent controversy over the use of steroids in the sport.
"Our success in the major leagues is based on the trust of the people," said former Yankees manager Torres. "We need to do whatever we have to do to regain that trust."
