1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

[CHRONICLE] Baseball, softball dropped from Olympic competition

Discussion in 'Other Sports' started by codell, Jul 8, 2005.

Tags:
Page 1 of 2
  1. codell

    codell Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2002
    Messages:
    19,312
    Likes Received:
    715
    Apparently, doping was part of the reasoning for eliminating the sport........

    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3257867

    Baseball, softball dropped from 2012 Olympics
    Associated Press

    SINGAPORE — Baseball and softball weren't big hits among International Olympic Committee members.

    Both American-invented sports were dropped today from the program for the 2012 Olympics in London — the first events cut from the Summer Games in 69 years. The IOC couldn't immediately agree on their replacements.

    Each of the 28 existing sports was put to a secret vote by the IOC, and baseball and softball failed to receive a majority required to stay on the program. The other 26 sports made the cut.

    The IOC then voted from a waiting list of five sports: golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports. Squash and karate won the ballots, but then were rejected in final confirmation votes, which required two-thirds majorities.

    Baseball and softball, which will remain on the program for the 2008 Beijing Games, are the first sports eliminated from the Olympics since polo in 1936. IOC president Jacques Rogge said the two sports would be eligible to win their way back onto the Olympic program for 2016.

    "I feel like somebody who has been thrown out — it's certainly not a good feeling," said Aldo Notari, the Italian president of the international baseball federation. "I don't think the IOC members know our sport deeply enough. But we'll continue to survive. We're looking ahead to Beijing and putting on a good show."

    Baseball, which became a medal sport in 1992, has been vulnerable because of the performance-enhancing drugs problem in the United States and top major league players don't play in the Olympics. Softball, a women's medal sport since 1996 that the U.S. has won all three times, has been in danger because of a perceived lack of global appeal and participation.

    The absence of major league stars is a big issue for the IOC, which wants the world's top athletes from all sports in the games.

    "The lack of the MLB players — I think people have looked and said, 'Well, all right, if there's to be a change, that seems to be the logic of it,'" British IOC member Craig Reedie said.

    Baseball's steroid problem in the United States was cited as another factor. While Major League Baseball has toughened its drug-testing programs, they still fall far short of Olympic standards.

    "Problems with doping in U.S. baseball probably cost the sport dearly," Australian IOC member John Coates said.

    Several IOC members also cited high stadium costs associated with both sports, saying baseball and softball venues have little post-games use in some host cities.

    "I think they've made a big, big mistake," said Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodgers manager who guided the U.S. team to the gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Games. "Baseball is played by all countries now, and softball, too. I think that's really going to hurt the Olympics. I don't want to knock the other sports, but I think this is a big mistake. I am very disappointed."

    Don Porter, the American president of the international softball federation, was devastated by the vote.

    "We thought that we had a lot of support," he said. "The members told us we were getting support, but obviously we weren't."
     
    #1 codell, Jul 8, 2005
  2. Cesar^Geronimo

    Cesar^Geronimo Member

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2003
    Messages:
    1,530
    Likes Received:
    7
    I would rather see Rugby, Squash or Karate then a bunch of no name baseball players. I never watched an olympic baseball game but I would probably tune into some Karate, Squash or Rugby just for the novelty of it.
     
    #2 Cesar^Geronimo, Jul 8, 2005
  3. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Messages:
    18,964
    Likes Received:
    2,147
    softball- happy to see go away
    baseball- sad to see go away


    the brightside?

    one less, medal cuba wins

    the negative, one less medal usa wins
     
    #3 Mr. Brightside, Jul 8, 2005
  4. 3814

    3814 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2002
    Messages:
    5,433
    Likes Received:
    72
    see...i knew you could do it :cool:

    living up to the expectations. :D
     
    #4 3814, Jul 8, 2005
  5. codell

    codell Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2002
    Messages:
    19,312
    Likes Received:
    715
    To the casual baseball fan, yeah, they are probably no name players. But for the astute observers of the game, alot of them are well known.
     
    #5 codell, Jul 8, 2005
  6. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2002
    Messages:
    15,595
    Likes Received:
    198
    I only care about softball as the women work real hard to compete and win like every other sport...

    Baseball is a great sport not only in the US, but around the world as well and I can't believe it won't be there...I don't buy the Major League players argument...
     
    #6 rrj_gamz, Jul 8, 2005
  7. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 1999
    Messages:
    46,633
    Likes Received:
    33,636
    First of all, let me admit : I hate watching baseball.

    Ok, now where in the world is it a great sport? Cuba, Dominican Republic, Taiwan (?), Japan. Has it gotten big in Europe? South America? Africa? I honestly don't know since I don't follow it.

    I would think basketball has surpassed it as a favorite sport of the world.
     
    #7 Dr of Dunk, Jul 8, 2005
  8. Mr. Brightside

    Mr. Brightside Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Messages:
    18,964
    Likes Received:
    2,147

    Latin America, a good portion of Asia, and North America.

    Thats half the world! Russia puts together a good bunch of runts every year at the Little Leage WS.

    When Russia and Mongolia play each other they exchange Mongolian barbecue for vodka.

    Yea!
     
    #8 Mr. Brightside, Jul 8, 2005
  9. droxford

    droxford Member

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2001
    Messages:
    10,598
    Likes Received:
    2,131
    They really should add Golf as an Olympic game.
     
    #9 droxford, Jul 8, 2005
  10. Stack24

    Stack24 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2003
    Messages:
    11,766
    Likes Received:
    1,737
    That's one olympic sport i never watched. I watch almost all olympic coverage but i have never tuned into a baseball game or softball game.
     
    #10 Stack24, Jul 8, 2005
  11. Blatz

    Blatz Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2002
    Messages:
    7,224
    Likes Received:
    3,477
    At least they didn't cut ballroom dancing.
     
    #11 Blatz, Jul 8, 2005
  12. codell

    codell Member

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2002
    Messages:
    19,312
    Likes Received:
    715
    I think so too.

    The high level of competition is so diverse, as far as nationality goes.

    They should do a match play style tournament, maybe 2 rounds for each match.

    Would love to see Els and Tiger go one on one in that type of format.
     
    #12 codell, Jul 8, 2005
  13. Vengeance

    Vengeance Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Messages:
    5,894
    Likes Received:
    23
    That's the thing - there's a whole lot of other marginal sports in there, I don't understand why baseball had to be the one to get the axe.
     
    #13 Vengeance, Jul 8, 2005
  14. Isabel

    Isabel Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 1999
    Messages:
    4,667
    Likes Received:
    58
    Maybe these sports were considered too "American"?

    I mean, problems with doping? Doesn't stop weightlifting, cycling, track and field...

    And some other countries are into baseball. Softball... now, that I can see as "American", but maybe it's saying something about everyone else when they can't get a decent softball team together. Time to quit stigmatizing women's sports and take it seriously. Of course, if they dropped softball without dropping baseball, that would send a bad-sounding message, so maybe they just dropped them both?
     
    #14 Isabel, Jul 8, 2005
  15. bnb

    bnb Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2002
    Messages:
    6,992
    Likes Received:
    316
    I wish they'd drop most team sports. Or at least sports for which the olympics isn't the ultimate prize.

    Soccer, baseball, softball, basketball. Let there be world cups to determine the champ in these sports.

    I prefer to the olympics to be about track events. Or other sports where the olympic medal really means something. Tennis? Who cares who the olympic champ is? Other tournaments carry much more prestige. Baseball, soccer, bball etc. Does anybody who follows the sport know who the olympic champs are? Please keep golf out. The olympics should be about the best. About the culmination of four years. Not just another event.
     
    #15 bnb, Jul 8, 2005
  16. Sishir Chang

    Sishir Chang Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2000
    Messages:
    11,064
    Likes Received:
    8
    The thing I don't get is that Olympic athletes would be tested under the stricter steroid tests so it doesn't matter if Giambi is doping in the MLB because he would get weeded out when he went to the Olympics. Anyway as others have noted there's been many more doping scandals involving track and field, swimming and cross country skiing and no ones talking about taking those sports out.

    As for global appeal curling is still an Olympic sport and that's barely played outside of Canada.

    At the sametime if baseball and softball have to go I'm glad that Karate might replace it. I personally would like to see a lot more martial arts in the Olympics like Wushu, Muay Thai and Brazilian JuiJitsu.
     
    #16 Sishir Chang, Jul 8, 2005
  17. PieEatinFattie

    PieEatinFattie Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2003
    Messages:
    863
    Likes Received:
    1
    Funny that this announcement comes as MLB is trying to setup a World Cup of baseball. It's supposed to take place during spring training and they have all the MLB teams signed up to let their players participate except for the Yankees.
     
    #17 PieEatinFattie, Jul 8, 2005
  18. bnb

    bnb Member

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2002
    Messages:
    6,992
    Likes Received:
    316
    Curling should not be an olympic sport.

    Any sport you can do, while holding a beer, should not be an olympic sport. Darts and Bowling should also not be considered.

    More martial arts would be cool.

    The baseball doping thing is a smokescreen. The problem with baseball was that it wasn't the big draw they'd hoped. If they could get the stars to show up...as in Basketball, Hockey, etc...and the ratings were good...they would never have dropped it! It's about ratings and sponsorship. Not ideals.
     
    #18 bnb, Jul 8, 2005
  19. PieEatinFattie

    PieEatinFattie Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2003
    Messages:
    863
    Likes Received:
    1
    This is why Golf would work. Just like Tennis, all the big stars would show. You know Tiger would love a gold medal.
     
    #19 PieEatinFattie, Jul 8, 2005
  20. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 1999
    Messages:
    29,959
    Likes Received:
    8,041
    Anyone remember motoball. good times.
     
    #20 PhiSlammaJamma, Jul 8, 2005
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page