Australia national baseball team
Encyclopedia
The Australian national baseball team represents Australia
in international baseball
tournaments and competitions. They are ranked as the top team in Oceania
, and are the Oceanian Champions, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand
withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship
. They are the 10th ranked mens baseball team. The lowest position they have been in since the ranking system
was introduced is 11th, while the highest rank they have achieved was 9th.
The Australian team participated in the Summer Olympic Games
in 1996
, 2000
and 2004
, but failed to qualify for 2008
. The team has also participated in both of the other major international baseball tournaments recognised by the International Baseball Federation
(IBAF): the Baseball World Cup and most recently the World Baseball Classic
(WBC).
The team is controlled by the Australian Baseball Federation
, which is represented in the Baseball Confederation of Oceania
(BCO). Prior to the BCO's formation, Australia competed in the Asian Baseball Championship
under the Baseball Federation of Asia
(BFA). Australia continues to have a relationship with the BFA; the 2011 resumption of the Asia Series
includes the Australian Baseball League
's champion team.
announced the 24 players that would represent Australia at the 2009 Baseball World Cup
in September. In comparison to the team selected for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
six months earlier, there were four fewer positions available, and included eight players not selected in the final roster. Included in those eight were three players—pitchers Timothy Cox
and Dushan Ruzic, and outfielder Timothy Kennelly
—who were not included in the initial 45 players selected in the provisional roster for the Classic.
Of the players named in the roster, two had previous Major League
experience: Brad Harman
and Justin Huber
. Assistant Coach Graeme Lloyd
has also had 10 seasons as a Major League pitcher, including two World Series
championships with the New York Yankees
.
Justin Huber had to be replaced in the roster, when he was called up to the Major League roster for the Minnesota Twins
. As a result of this, James Linger
—named the 2008 Australian Baseball Youth Player of the Year—was called into the squad to replace Huber.
created a ranking system so that the nations involved in international competition could be compared independently. Teams receive points based on the position they finish at the end of tournaments. The system takes into account results not only of the senior men's teams but also of junior teams. Weightings that emphasise the importance of certain tournaments are based on the number of teams competing, the number of continents represented (or eligible to be represented), and in the case of continental tournaments such as the Oceania Baseball Championship
the relative strength of teams eligible. Only results within the previous four years are used, so points are added and removed over time. Since the system began, the rankings have been adjusted after the completion of tournaments qualifying for the ranking process; the most recent was the 2009 Baseball World Cup
.
When the rankings were first introduced, Australia was listed at 10th position. The high-water mark was after the 2009 World Baseball Classic
when they were in 9th. The lowest position they have been in the ranking since its inception is 11th. At the end of 2010, Australia had returned to their original position of 10th.
, in releasing the first edition of the world rankings
, announced the classifications of various tournaments that contributed to the rankings themselves. In doing so, they identified that of the "world" tournaments, there were different levels with differing levels of weighting towards the ranks: major world championships, minor world championships, world qualifying tournaments and continental championships/qualifying tournaments.
, the Summer Olympic Games
and the Baseball World Cup. Of those, the Summer Olympics will be phased out of the rankings structure, as baseball will no longer be contested as an Olympic event.
. All sixteen teams that played in the 2006
edition were invited to compete in the second in 2009
. Australia has been invited to compete at the 2013
edition of the WBC.
Australia, which has not progressed beyond the first round of competition, achieved its highest finish, 12th, in the 2009 tournament. Unusual for international competition in baseball, the squads selected in the World Baseball Classic tournaments featured players active in Major League Baseball
in addition to Minor League
, Nippon Professional Baseball and local players. Generally players in the Major Leagues are unavailable for international representative teams due to their contracts with the respective clubs.
Prior to formally starting their campaign, Australia played an exhibition game, which they lost, against a Boston Red Sox
squad at City of Palms Park
in Fort Myers
, Florida
. This was also the site of their training camp.
Australia competed in Pool D—along with Dominican Republic
, Italy
and Venezuela
—in the first round at Cracker Jack Stadium in Orlando
, Florida. The other three teams were able to field a large number of Major League
players. Of players born outside the United States
on 2006 Major League Opening Day rosters, the Dominican Republic (85) and Venezuela (43) had more than all other countries and between them accounted for more than 57% of foreign-born players in the leagues. Italy is among the top nations in Europe
and had access to Italian-American players under the eligibility rules for the tournament. Thus, Australia was considered the underdog
in the pool.
Having failed to win any of their round-robin
pool games, they finished last in their pool, and were eliminated with Canada
, China
, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Netherlands
, Panama
and South Africa
. The eventual champions were Japan
.
----
Australia was based in Peoria
, Arizona
—the site of the Seattle Mariners
spring training
camp—for their preparation for the formal start of their 2009 campaign. Unlike 2006, in which they had one exhibition game, they competed against three different Major League
clubs: the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers
and the Chicago White Sox
. Their game against Seattle was Ken Griffey, Jr.
's first game playing for the Mariners since October 1999, and was also their first victory as part of a World Baseball Classic tour.
Australia was drawn in Pool B for the 2009 tournament, along with Cuba
, Mexico
and South Africa
, competing at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City
. After beating Mexico
in their opening game, they lost their next two games to Cuba and Mexico, and were eliminated from the tournament. The Australians set a WBC record against Mexico: 22 hits in a single game is more than any other team has achieved in either tournament.
----
In June 2011, it was announced that the field for the 2013 WBC would be expanded to include an additional 12 teams and that a qualifying round would be several months prior to the main tournament. , the format for the main tournament has not been announced, however the qualifying tournament will involve the 12 newly-invited teams, as well as the four lowest-placed teams from the 2009 tournament; all teams who did not win a game. The qualifying tournament will see the teams broken into four pools of four teams each, which will compete in a six-game, modified double-elimination format, similarly to the first round of the 2009 tournament, with the winners of the sixth game in each pool proceeding to the main tournament. Australia, having finished 12th after beating Mexico in their first game in 2009, automatically qualified for the main tournament.
and Sweden
, to participate in baseball at the Summer Olympics
, making their first appearance at the 1956 Games
in Melbourne
, and again as part of its demonstration
at the 1988 Games
in Seoul
. Though the sport has applied for re-admission for 2016, baseball is no longer contested as a medal event at the Olympics.
Since baseball was first included as a medal sport at the 1992 Games
in Barcelona
, Australia has participated in three of the five tournaments. The best result achieved was in the 2004 Games
in Athens
, where Australia lost the gold medal
match to Cuba to receive silver
. Their medal tally puts them at 5th, equal to Chinese Taipei.
World Cup tournaments. To date its best result has been 5th, which Australia has achieved twice in both of the most recent tournaments held—2009
and 2011
. At the 2007
tournament, Trent Oeltjen
became the first Australian player to be named in a World Cup All Star team, in recognition of his tournament-leading hitting and base-running statistics. Australia is currently participating in the 2011
tournament in Panama
.
Until 1986
, the World Cup was actually referred to as the "Amateur World Series". The Amateur World Series only made use of round-robin
fixtures, with teams ranked at the end of the tournament. Australia's first appearance was in Italy
in 1978
. Out of the ten teams to compete, Australia finished 9th ahead of the other debuting team, Belgium
.
Since the 1988
tournament, it has held the "World Cup" name, with the IBAF recognising the past Amateur World Series winners as World Cup winners. With the change of name came a change in format for the tournament: a round-robin phase, followed by a knockout phase for the top four teams. (Later tournaments would see two pools used in the first phase, and an expanded knockout
phase including the top four teams from each pool.) In the "World Cup Era", Australia has reached the final phase four times, finishing 7th in 1998
, 6th in 2007 and most recently 5th in 2009 and 2011.
currently recognises as "minor world championships". Of those, Australia has only participated in one senior tournament: the Intercontinental Cup
. (Australia has also participated in the World Junior Baseball Championship
and the World Youth Baseball Championship
, both of which are also included in the same category for the IBAF rankings.)
, winning the 1999
tournament by beating Cuba
4–3 in extra innings
in front of a home crowd in Sydney
, New South Wales
. It was the first time Australia had won an international baseball tournament, and through 2009 the only win outside of the Oceania Baseball Championship
. The team enjoyed several individual successes as well:
It was only the third time Cuba had been beaten in the gold medal match in the tournament's history, having reached the tournament decider every time they have participated. Australia also shares another honour with Cuba: of the nine nations to have hosted the tournament, only Australia and Cuba have won as hosts, combining for five tournament wins from five times hosted. (Cuba in 1979, 1987, 1995 and 2002
, Australia in 1999.)
Australia first participated in the tournament at the 1981 Intercontinental Cup
, managing only one win out of their seven games, finishing 8th. Missing the 1983 Intercontinental Cup, they returned in 1985 to repeat their previous performance: 1 win, 8th place finish. They would not reappear at the tournament until 1993 where they improved to a 5–4 record to finish in 6th position.
Australia's first medal performance at the Intercontinental Cup (and their first medal at a world tournament) was at the 1997
tournament. In their best performance through the preliminary round, they put together a 6–1 record losing only to eventual silver-medalists Cuba, and beating eventual gold-medalists Japan
. They lost to Japan in the semi-final, but beat the United States
for the second time in the tournament to secure the bronze.
Australia also competed in the most recent tournament in 2006
. There they finished in 5th position, compiling a 3–4 record. This is likely to be the last edition of the tournament for the foreseeable future.
-sanctioned continental tournaments for more than one continent: the Asian Baseball Championship
between 1971–1993, and the Oceania Baseball Championship
since 2003. The first nation to achieve this was Guam
, who competed in the Asian tournament within the same timeframe as Australia, though they were involved in the first Oceania tournament in 1999.
since the tournament was first held in 1954
. The last time they contested the championship was in 1993
, as a result of joining the newly formed Baseball Confederation of Oceania
. Though their best result was a bronze medal in the 1975
, the only teams to consistently finish ahead of Australia were Japan
, South Korea and Chinese Taipei—the top three teams in Asia, and all in the top five in the world.
once in 2003. The two other times, Australia's scheduled opponents—Guam
in 2004 and New Zealand
in 2007—withdrew from competition in the lead up to each series, both times scheduled to be held in Sydney
. Australia was awarded the championship both times, and as a result represented Oceania at the 2004 Summer Olympics
and at the 2007 Baseball World Cup
respectively.
Held during late April 2003, Australia won its first continental championship, beating hosts Guam , and to win the best of five series three games to one. (Guam won the third game .)
Oceania Baseball Championship
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in international baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
tournaments and competitions. They are ranked as the top team in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, and are the Oceanian Champions, having been awarded the title in 2007 when New Zealand
New Zealand national baseball team
The New Zealand national baseball team is the representative team at international level for New Zealand. The team is controlled by Baseball New Zealand, the country's governing body. The team competes in the Oceania Championship, where in 2007 withdrew from play giving Australia an automatic berth...
withdrew from the Oceania Baseball Championship
Oceania Baseball Championship
The Oceania Baseball Championship is contested between participating baseball federations in Oceania. It is sanctioned by the Baseball Confederation of Oceania ....
. They are the 10th ranked mens baseball team. The lowest position they have been in since the ranking system
IBAF World Rankings
The IBAF World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in baseball, currently led by Cuba. The teams of the member nations of IBAF , baseball's world governing body, are ranked based on their tournament results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
was introduced is 11th, while the highest rank they have achieved was 9th.
The Australian team participated in the Summer Olympic Games
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in 1996
Baseball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Baseball had its second appearance as an official medal sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States, with games played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Eight nations competed, with the preliminary phase consisting of each team playing every other team. Playoffs were then held,...
, 2000
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics was the third time an Olympic baseball tournament had been held as a full medal sport, and the ninth time it had been part of the Summer Olympic Games in any capacity. It was held in Sydney, Australia from 17 September through to the bronze and gold medal games...
and 2004
Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
-Preliminary round:The top four teams advanced to the semifinals. To determine the seed ranking of teams tied in the standings, the result of the two teams' game against each other was used. Japan therefore received first place due to the win over Cuba. In the semi-finals, Japan played...
, but failed to qualify for 2008
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
. The team has also participated in both of the other major international baseball tournaments recognised by the International Baseball Federation
International Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
(IBAF): the Baseball World Cup and most recently the World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
(WBC).
The team is controlled by the Australian Baseball Federation
Australian Baseball Federation
The Australian Baseball Federation is the national governing body of Baseball in Australia. Baseball is played in all the mainland states and territories, but it struggles for popularity due to the popularity of many other sports, including the comparable sport of cricket, in which Australia has...
, which is represented in the Baseball Confederation of Oceania
Baseball Confederation of Oceania
The Baseball Confederation of Oceania is the governing body of baseball within Oceania, and is responsible for the Oceania Baseball Championship.The Baseball Confederation of Oceania was established in 1989, it currently has 15 member nations....
(BCO). Prior to the BCO's formation, Australia competed in the Asian Baseball Championship
Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...
under the Baseball Federation of Asia
Baseball Federation of Asia
The Baseball Federation of Asia is the governing body of the sport of baseball in Asia. The federation is governed by the International Baseball Federation.-Members:-Rankings:...
(BFA). Australia continues to have a relationship with the BFA; the 2011 resumption of the Asia Series
Asia Series
The Asia Series is an international baseball tournament in East Asia that was first held between November 10 and November 13, 2005, in Tokyo. The tournament was sponsored by Konami corporation from 2005 to 2007 and was known as the Konami Cup in that period.It is played among the annual champions...
includes the Australian Baseball League
Australian Baseball League
The Australian Baseball League was a baseball league, established in 1987 and disbanded in 1999.-Formation:Before the formation of the Australian Baseball League, the Claxton Shield, established in , was Australia's premier baseball tournament...
's champion team.
Current roster
On 3 September 2009, the Australian Baseball FederationAustralian Baseball Federation
The Australian Baseball Federation is the national governing body of Baseball in Australia. Baseball is played in all the mainland states and territories, but it struggles for popularity due to the popularity of many other sports, including the comparable sport of cricket, in which Australia has...
announced the 24 players that would represent Australia at the 2009 Baseball World Cup
2009 Baseball World Cup
The 2009 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament that started on 9 September 2009. The final was held in Nettuno, Italy on 27 September 2009. It was the 38th time the World Cup took place, and the first time that it was hosted by a continent rather than a single country...
in September. In comparison to the team selected for the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
six months earlier, there were four fewer positions available, and included eight players not selected in the final roster. Included in those eight were three players—pitchers Timothy Cox
Timothy Cox (baseball)
Timothy Mark Cox is an Australian baseball player who currently plays for the New South Wales Patriots....
and Dushan Ruzic, and outfielder Timothy Kennelly
Timothy Kennelly
Timothy James Kennelly is an Australian baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies organisation and Perth Heat. He primarily plays catcher and third base, but also plays outfield and first base...
—who were not included in the initial 45 players selected in the provisional roster for the Classic.
Of the players named in the roster, two had previous Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
experience: Brad Harman
Brad Harman
Bradley Christopher Harman is a Major League Baseball second baseman who is currently a free agent.-Professional career:...
and Justin Huber
Justin Huber
- New York Mets :He was originally drafted as a catcher by the New York Mets in .- Kansas City Royals :Huber was one of the top prospects within the Mets organization when he was traded to the Kansas City Royals before the trade deadline for José Bautista...
. Assistant Coach Graeme Lloyd
Graeme Lloyd
Graeme John Lloyd is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who had a ten year career from 1993 to 2003.-Playing career:...
has also had 10 seasons as a Major League pitcher, including two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championships with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Justin Huber had to be replaced in the roster, when he was called up to the Major League roster for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. As a result of this, James Linger
James Linger
James Linger is an Australian baseballer. He is currently signed to the Atlanta Braves organisation and plays second base for the GCL Braves....
—named the 2008 Australian Baseball Youth Player of the Year—was called into the squad to replace Huber.
- * - Player was in provisional squad for 2009 World Baseball Classic2009 World Baseball ClassicThe 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
, but not the final roster - † - Player did not make the provisional squad for 2009 World Baseball Classic
World ranking
In January 2009 the International Baseball FederationInternational Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
created a ranking system so that the nations involved in international competition could be compared independently. Teams receive points based on the position they finish at the end of tournaments. The system takes into account results not only of the senior men's teams but also of junior teams. Weightings that emphasise the importance of certain tournaments are based on the number of teams competing, the number of continents represented (or eligible to be represented), and in the case of continental tournaments such as the Oceania Baseball Championship
Oceania Baseball Championship
The Oceania Baseball Championship is contested between participating baseball federations in Oceania. It is sanctioned by the Baseball Confederation of Oceania ....
the relative strength of teams eligible. Only results within the previous four years are used, so points are added and removed over time. Since the system began, the rankings have been adjusted after the completion of tournaments qualifying for the ranking process; the most recent was the 2009 Baseball World Cup
2009 Baseball World Cup
The 2009 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament that started on 9 September 2009. The final was held in Nettuno, Italy on 27 September 2009. It was the 38th time the World Cup took place, and the first time that it was hosted by a continent rather than a single country...
.
When the rankings were first introduced, Australia was listed at 10th position. The high-water mark was after the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
when they were in 9th. The lowest position they have been in the ranking since its inception is 11th. At the end of 2010, Australia had returned to their original position of 10th.
| Date Released |
Tournament* | Tournament Result |
Ranking | Points | Position Above | Position Below | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Points Difference |
Rank | Team | Points Difference |
|||||||
| 1 December 2010** | 2010 World Junior Championship 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship The 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship was an international baseball competition being held at the Port Arthur Stadium and Central Ball Park in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada from July 23 to August 1, 2010.-Teams:... |
2nd | 10th |  |
226.83 | |
9th | +60.40 | 11th | -13.60 | ||
| 2 June 2010** | † | † | 11th |  |
211.24 | |
10th | +20.15 | 12th | -45.24 | ||
| 19 October 2009** | 2009 World Youth Championship 2009 World Youth Baseball Championship The 2009 World Youth Baseball Championship was an international baseball tournament scheduled to start on 15 August 2009. It was the 14th time the World Youth Cup has taken place... |
9th | 11th | |
211.24 |  |
10th | +20.15 | 12th | -45.24 | ||
| 2009 World Cup 2009 Baseball World Cup The 2009 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament that started on 9 September 2009. The final was held in Nettuno, Italy on 27 September 2009. It was the 38th time the World Cup took place, and the first time that it was hosted by a continent rather than a single country... |
5th | |||||||||||
| 12 August 2009** | † | † | 11th | |
214.11 | |
10th | +1.28 | 12th | -1.79 | ||
| 24 March 2009 | 2009 World Baseball Classic 2009 World Baseball Classic The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the... |
12th | 9th | |
214.11 | |
8th | +66.08 | 10th | -2.97 | ||
| 13 January 2009 | † | † | 10th | |
191.43 | |
9th | +6.21 | 11th | -38.61 | ||
- * - The tournaments that Australia participated in since the previous release of the rankings.
- ** - Multiple tournaments were held since the previous release of the rankings.
- † - Denotes a rankings release that had no tournaments Australia participated in.
International competition
In January 2009 the IBAFInternational Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
, in releasing the first edition of the world rankings
IBAF World Rankings
The IBAF World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in baseball, currently led by Cuba. The teams of the member nations of IBAF , baseball's world governing body, are ranked based on their tournament results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
, announced the classifications of various tournaments that contributed to the rankings themselves. In doing so, they identified that of the "world" tournaments, there were different levels with differing levels of weighting towards the ranks: major world championships, minor world championships, world qualifying tournaments and continental championships/qualifying tournaments.
Major world championships
There are currently three recognised tournaments that are considered "major" by the IBAF: the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
, the Summer Olympic Games
Baseball at the Summer Olympics
Baseball at the Summer Olympics had its unofficial debut at the 1904 Summer Games and its official sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Baseball has a long history as an exhibition/demonstration sport in the Olympics. However, for 1992 Barcelona the International Olympic Committee granted the sport...
and the Baseball World Cup. Of those, the Summer Olympics will be phased out of the rankings structure, as baseball will no longer be contested as an Olympic event.
World Baseball Classic
Australia has competed in both editions of the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
. All sixteen teams that played in the 2006
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
edition were invited to compete in the second in 2009
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
. Australia has been invited to compete at the 2013
2013 World Baseball Classic
The 2013 World Baseball Classic will be an international baseball competition. The Classic was expanded to 28 teams, from 16.Japan won the first two World Baseball Classics, in 2006 and 2009.- Qualification:...
edition of the WBC.
Australia, which has not progressed beyond the first round of competition, achieved its highest finish, 12th, in the 2009 tournament. Unusual for international competition in baseball, the squads selected in the World Baseball Classic tournaments featured players active in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
in addition to Minor League
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, Nippon Professional Baseball and local players. Generally players in the Major Leagues are unavailable for international representative teams due to their contracts with the respective clubs.
United States, 2006
Prior to formally starting their campaign, Australia played an exhibition game, which they lost, against a Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
squad at City of Palms Park
City of Palms Park
City of Palms Park is a stadium in Fort Myers, Florida primarily used for baseball, although the City of Fort Myers uses the venue for the occasional concert. Former Boston Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell is from Fort Myers, and was instrumental in bringing his team to the city for spring...
in Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. This was also the site of their training camp.
Australia competed in Pool D—along with Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic national baseball team
The Dominican Republic national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Dominican Republic.-World Baseball Classic Roster:- Dominican Republic:Manager: 17 Felipe Alou...
, Italy
Italy national baseball team
The Italy national baseball team is the team that represents Italy in international baseball competition. The Italian national team is currently ranked 12th in the world.-World Baseball Classic:...
and Venezuela
Venezuela national baseball team
The Venezuela national baseball team is the national team of Venezuela. They are currently ranked seventh in the world by the International Baseball Federation.-World Baseball Classic:...
—in the first round at Cracker Jack Stadium in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida. The other three teams were able to field a large number of Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
players. Of players born outside the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on 2006 Major League Opening Day rosters, the Dominican Republic (85) and Venezuela (43) had more than all other countries and between them accounted for more than 57% of foreign-born players in the leagues. Italy is among the top nations in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and had access to Italian-American players under the eligibility rules for the tournament. Thus, Australia was considered the underdog
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
in the pool.
Having failed to win any of their round-robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
pool games, they finished last in their pool, and were eliminated with Canada
Canada national baseball team
Canada has qualified for two Olympic games, in 2004 and 2008. Canadian teams also competed twice when baseball was a demonstration sport, in 1984 and 1988.-1984 Summer Olympics:...
, China
China national baseball team
The China national baseball team is the national representative team of the People's Republic of China.-Olympic Games:China secured qualification to the 2008 Summer Olympics automatically as host nation, giving the country its first Olympics berth....
, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Netherlands
Netherlands national baseball team
The Netherlands national baseball team is the national baseball team of the Netherlands. They are currently the top team in Europe and currently the sixth ranked men's baseball team in the IBAF World Rankings....
, Panama
Panama national baseball team
The Panama national baseball team is the national team of Panama. They are currently the 16th ranked baseball team in the world.- Roster :PitchersManuel Acosta,Albenis Castillo,Bienvenido Cedeno,Bruce Chen,Manuel Corpas,Jorge Cortez,...
and South Africa
South Africa national baseball team
The South African national baseball team is a baseball team which represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and formerly the Summer Olympics.-All-Africa Games:...
. The eventual champions were Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
.
----
Mexico, 2009
Australia was based in Peoria
Peoria, Arizona
Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. Located primarily in Maricopa County, it is a major suburb of Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau releases, the population of the city is 154,065. Peoria is currently the sixth largest city in Arizona for land...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
—the site of the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp—for their preparation for the formal start of their 2009 campaign. Unlike 2006, in which they had one exhibition game, they competed against three different Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
clubs: the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. Their game against Seattle was Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ken Griffey, Jr.
George Kenneth "Ken" Griffey, Jr. , nicknamed "Junior" and "The Kid", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and during his final years, designated hitter...
's first game playing for the Mariners since October 1999, and was also their first victory as part of a World Baseball Classic tour.
Australia was drawn in Pool B for the 2009 tournament, along with Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
, Mexico
Mexico national baseball team
The Mexico national baseball team is the baseball team which represents Mexico in international tournaments. They are currently the eighth ranked baseball team in the world.-Pan American Games:*1951 Bronze Medal *1963 Bronze Medal...
and South Africa
South Africa national baseball team
The South African national baseball team is a baseball team which represents the Republic of South Africa in international baseball competitions such as the World Baseball Classic and formerly the Summer Olympics.-All-Africa Games:...
, competing at Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. After beating Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in their opening game, they lost their next two games to Cuba and Mexico, and were eliminated from the tournament. The Australians set a WBC record against Mexico: 22 hits in a single game is more than any other team has achieved in either tournament.
----
2013
In June 2011, it was announced that the field for the 2013 WBC would be expanded to include an additional 12 teams and that a qualifying round would be several months prior to the main tournament. , the format for the main tournament has not been announced, however the qualifying tournament will involve the 12 newly-invited teams, as well as the four lowest-placed teams from the 2009 tournament; all teams who did not win a game. The qualifying tournament will see the teams broken into four pools of four teams each, which will compete in a six-game, modified double-elimination format, similarly to the first round of the 2009 tournament, with the winners of the sixth game in each pool proceeding to the main tournament. Australia, having finished 12th after beating Mexico in their first game in 2009, automatically qualified for the main tournament.
Olympic Games
Australia was the third nation, after the United StatesUnited States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
and Sweden
Sweden national baseball team
The Sweden national baseball team is the national baseball team of Sweden. The team competes in the bi-annual European Baseball Championship.- Placings :Baseball World Cup* 1994: 15th* 2005: 16th* 2009 : 19thEuropean Baseball Championship...
, to participate in baseball at the Summer Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
, making their first appearance at the 1956 Games
Baseball at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Baseball was again a demonstration sport at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Though it was nominally the "foreign" demonstration sport of that Olympiad, Australia had a long history of baseball dating back to at least 1889...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and again as part of its demonstration
Demonstration sport
A demonstration sport is a sport which is played to promote itself, most commonly during the Olympic Games, but also at other sporting events.Demonstration sports were officially introduced in 1912 Summer Olympics, when Sweden decided to include glima, traditional Icelandic wrestling, in the...
at the 1988 Games
Baseball at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 1988 Summer Olympics was a demonstration sport for the seventh time. Eight teams competed in Seoul in the baseball tournament. The format used was the same as the tournament of four years earlier. Five teams that had competed in the 1984 tournament returned.-Preliminary round:There...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Though the sport has applied for re-admission for 2016, baseball is no longer contested as a medal event at the Olympics.
Since baseball was first included as a medal sport at the 1992 Games
Baseball at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Baseball had its debut as an official medal sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Eight nations competed, with the preliminary phase consisting of each team playing every other team. Playoffs were then held, with the four highest ranked teams advancing...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Australia has participated in three of the five tournaments. The best result achieved was in the 2004 Games
Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
-Preliminary round:The top four teams advanced to the semifinals. To determine the seed ranking of teams tied in the standings, the result of the two teams' game against each other was used. Japan therefore received first place due to the win over Cuba. In the semi-finals, Japan played...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, where Australia lost the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
match to Cuba to receive silver
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
. Their medal tally puts them at 5th, equal to Chinese Taipei.
World Cup
Australia has participated in ten of the IBAFInternational Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
World Cup tournaments. To date its best result has been 5th, which Australia has achieved twice in both of the most recent tournaments held—2009
2009 Baseball World Cup
The 2009 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament that started on 9 September 2009. The final was held in Nettuno, Italy on 27 September 2009. It was the 38th time the World Cup took place, and the first time that it was hosted by a continent rather than a single country...
and 2011
2011 Baseball World Cup
The 2011 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament held from October 1 to October 15, 2011. It was the 39th Baseball World Cup. The International Baseball Federation selected Panama to host the tournament, turning down bids from Chinese Taipei and Venezuela...
. At the 2007
2007 Baseball World Cup
The XXXVII International Baseball Federation Baseball World Cup was held in the Republic of China from November 6 through November 18, 2007. Four stadiums hosted...
tournament, Trent Oeltjen
Trent Oeltjen
Trent Carl Wayne Oeltjen is a Major League Baseball outfielder, who is currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is 6'1" tall and weighs 190 pounds...
became the first Australian player to be named in a World Cup All Star team, in recognition of his tournament-leading hitting and base-running statistics. Australia is currently participating in the 2011
2011 Baseball World Cup
The 2011 Baseball World Cup was an international baseball tournament held from October 1 to October 15, 2011. It was the 39th Baseball World Cup. The International Baseball Federation selected Panama to host the tournament, turning down bids from Chinese Taipei and Venezuela...
tournament in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
.
Until 1986
1986 Amateur World Series
The 1986 Amateur World Series took place in the Netherlands from July 19 to August 2. Cuba defeated Korea in the final to win the tournament.- Final standings :-External links:*...
, the World Cup was actually referred to as the "Amateur World Series". The Amateur World Series only made use of round-robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
fixtures, with teams ranked at the end of the tournament. Australia's first appearance was in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1978
1978 Amateur World Series
The 1978 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy and was won by Cuba.There were 11 participating countries. It was also Belgium's and Australia's first World Cup.-References:*...
. Out of the ten teams to compete, Australia finished 9th ahead of the other debuting team, Belgium
Belgium national baseball team
The Belgium national baseball team is the national baseball team of Belgium. The team competes in the bi-annual European Baseball Championship.-Tournament results:Baseball World CupEuropean Baseball Championship...
.
Since the 1988
1988 Baseball World Cup
The 1988 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy from August 23 to September 7. Cuba defeated USA in the final to win the tournament.- Final standings :-External links:*...
tournament, it has held the "World Cup" name, with the IBAF recognising the past Amateur World Series winners as World Cup winners. With the change of name came a change in format for the tournament: a round-robin phase, followed by a knockout phase for the top four teams. (Later tournaments would see two pools used in the first phase, and an expanded knockout
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
phase including the top four teams from each pool.) In the "World Cup Era", Australia has reached the final phase four times, finishing 7th in 1998
1998 Baseball World Cup
The 1998 Baseball World Cup took place in Italy from July 21 to August 2.Participating countries were split in two groups, with the first four of each group qualifying for the finals...
, 6th in 2007 and most recently 5th in 2009 and 2011.
Minor world championships
There are six separate tournaments that the IBAFInternational Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
currently recognises as "minor world championships". Of those, Australia has only participated in one senior tournament: the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
. (Australia has also participated in the World Junior Baseball Championship
World Junior Baseball Championship
The IBAF AAA World Junior Championships is an under-18 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1981 in United States...
and the World Youth Baseball Championship
World Youth Baseball Championship
The IBAF AA World Youth Championships is an under-16 international baseball competition sponsored by the International Baseball Federation , which was first held in 1989 in Japan...
, both of which are also included in the same category for the IBAF rankings.)
Intercontinental Cup
Australia is one of five nations to have won the Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (baseball)
The Intercontinental Cup is a baseball tournament between the members of the International Baseball Federation . It was first held in 1973 in Italy, and was held every other year following until 1999....
, winning the 1999
1999 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 1999 IBAF Intercontinental Cup was held in Australia from November 3 to November 14, 1999. Eight countries contested the tournament, and has been the only Intercontinental Cup hosted in the southern hemisphere. The eight participating countries were Cuba, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands,...
tournament by beating Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
4–3 in extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
in front of a home crowd in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It was the first time Australia had won an international baseball tournament, and through 2009 the only win outside of the Oceania Baseball Championship
Oceania Baseball Championship
The Oceania Baseball Championship is contested between participating baseball federations in Oceania. It is sanctioned by the Baseball Confederation of Oceania ....
. The team enjoyed several individual successes as well:
- Dave NilssonDave NilssonDavid Wayne Nilsson is a retired Australian professional baseball player who played as catcher for Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewers from to . He was an All-Star in 1999, becoming the only Australian player to appear in an All-Star game...
named tournament MVPMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, to go along with leading the tournament for runs batted inRun batted inRuns batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(12) and being named in the tournament all-star team (as catcherCatcherCatcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
) - Shane Bennett led the tournament pitching with the best winWin (baseball)In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
-loss record (3-0) - Adam Burton led the tournament batting with the most runs scoredRun (baseball)In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(9) - Michael MoyleMichael MoyleHis Worship Michael Moyle was the High Bailiff of the Isle of Man from 2002 until 2010. He was the head stipendiary magistrate. He retired on 30th January 2010 -References:...
shared the lead in the tournament with Oscar MaciasOscar MacíasOscar Macias Hernández is a Cuban baseball player and Olympic silver medalist.-External links:*...
(Cuba), with the most home runHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (3) - two other Australians were selected along with Dave Nilsson in the all-star team: Adrian Meagher (right-handed pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
) and Michael MoyleMichael MoyleHis Worship Michael Moyle was the High Bailiff of the Isle of Man from 2002 until 2010. He was the head stipendiary magistrate. He retired on 30th January 2010 -References:...
(designated hitterDesignated hitterIn baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
)
It was only the third time Cuba had been beaten in the gold medal match in the tournament's history, having reached the tournament decider every time they have participated. Australia also shares another honour with Cuba: of the nine nations to have hosted the tournament, only Australia and Cuba have won as hosts, combining for five tournament wins from five times hosted. (Cuba in 1979, 1987, 1995 and 2002
2002 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 2002 Intercontinental Cup was held in Havana, Cuba from November 8 through November 20, 2002. Cuba defeated South Korea 2-1 in the final to win the tournament....
, Australia in 1999.)
Australia first participated in the tournament at the 1981 Intercontinental Cup
1981 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 1981 Intercontinental Cup was held in Canada. Eight teams competed in the tournament which was won by the United States national baseball team....
, managing only one win out of their seven games, finishing 8th. Missing the 1983 Intercontinental Cup, they returned in 1985 to repeat their previous performance: 1 win, 8th place finish. They would not reappear at the tournament until 1993 where they improved to a 5–4 record to finish in 6th position.
Australia's first medal performance at the Intercontinental Cup (and their first medal at a world tournament) was at the 1997
1997 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 1997 IBAF Intercontinental Cup was held in Barcelona, Spain from August 1 through to August 10, 1997. Eight countries contested the tournament including Cuba, Australia, Italy, Nicaragua, Japan, France, United States of America and the host Spain...
tournament. In their best performance through the preliminary round, they put together a 6–1 record losing only to eventual silver-medalists Cuba, and beating eventual gold-medalists Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
. They lost to Japan in the semi-final, but beat the United States
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
for the second time in the tournament to secure the bronze.
Australia also competed in the most recent tournament in 2006
2006 Intercontinental Cup (baseball)
The 2006 IBAF Intercontinental Cup was held in Taichung, Taiwan from November 9 through the 19th. Eight countries contested the tournament, which was played in two different venues. Those venues were Taichung Baseball Field and the newly-built Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium...
. There they finished in 5th position, compiling a 3–4 record. This is likely to be the last edition of the tournament for the foreseeable future.
Continental tournaments
Australia is the second of only two nations to have participated in IBAFInternational Baseball Federation
The International Baseball Federation is the worldwide governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee as overseeing, deciding and executing the policy of the bat-and-ball sport of baseball at the international level...
-sanctioned continental tournaments for more than one continent: the Asian Baseball Championship
Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...
between 1971–1993, and the Oceania Baseball Championship
Oceania Baseball Championship
The Oceania Baseball Championship is contested between participating baseball federations in Oceania. It is sanctioned by the Baseball Confederation of Oceania ....
since 2003. The first nation to achieve this was Guam
Guam national baseball team
The Guam national baseball team is the national baseball team of Guam. The team represents Guam in international competitions. Guam has competed in the Asian Baseball Championship.-Asian Baseball Championship:...
, who competed in the Asian tournament within the same timeframe as Australia, though they were involved in the first Oceania tournament in 1999.
Asian Baseball Championship
Australia is one of thirteen nations to have participated in the Asian Baseball ChampionshipAsian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship is the main championship tournament between national baseball teams in Asia, governed by the Baseball Federation of Asia . It is held every other year in odd-numbered years and since 1983 it also functions as the qualification games for the Baseball at the Summer...
since the tournament was first held in 1954
1954 Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship was the first continental tournament held by the Baseball Federation of Asia, from 18 to 26 December. The tournament was held in Manila, Philippines, and was won by the host nation. 17,000 people attended the final game at Rizal Stadium to see Philippines defeat...
. The last time they contested the championship was in 1993
1993 Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship was the seventeenth continental tournament held by the Baseball Federation of Asia. The tournament was held in Perth, Australia for the second and likely last time; Australia has not participated in the tournament since joining the Baseball Confederation of Oceania...
, as a result of joining the newly formed Baseball Confederation of Oceania
Baseball Confederation of Oceania
The Baseball Confederation of Oceania is the governing body of baseball within Oceania, and is responsible for the Oceania Baseball Championship.The Baseball Confederation of Oceania was established in 1989, it currently has 15 member nations....
. Though their best result was a bronze medal in the 1975
1975 Asian Baseball Championship
The Asian Baseball Championship was the eleventh continental tournament held by the Baseball Federation of Asia. The tournament was held in Seoul, South Korea for the third time, and was won by the hosts for their third Asian Championship; all three times when hosting the tournament.The tournament...
, the only teams to consistently finish ahead of Australia were Japan
Japan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
, South Korea and Chinese Taipei—the top three teams in Asia, and all in the top five in the world.
Oceania Baseball Championship
Though scheduled to participate on three separate occasions, Australia has only contested the Oceania Baseball ChampionshipOceania Baseball Championship
The Oceania Baseball Championship is contested between participating baseball federations in Oceania. It is sanctioned by the Baseball Confederation of Oceania ....
once in 2003. The two other times, Australia's scheduled opponents—Guam
Guam national baseball team
The Guam national baseball team is the national baseball team of Guam. The team represents Guam in international competitions. Guam has competed in the Asian Baseball Championship.-Asian Baseball Championship:...
in 2004 and New Zealand
New Zealand national baseball team
The New Zealand national baseball team is the representative team at international level for New Zealand. The team is controlled by Baseball New Zealand, the country's governing body. The team competes in the Oceania Championship, where in 2007 withdrew from play giving Australia an automatic berth...
in 2007—withdrew from competition in the lead up to each series, both times scheduled to be held in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. Australia was awarded the championship both times, and as a result represented Oceania at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
-Preliminary round:The top four teams advanced to the semifinals. To determine the seed ranking of teams tied in the standings, the result of the two teams' game against each other was used. Japan therefore received first place due to the win over Cuba. In the semi-finals, Japan played...
and at the 2007 Baseball World Cup
2007 Baseball World Cup
The XXXVII International Baseball Federation Baseball World Cup was held in the Republic of China from November 6 through November 18, 2007. Four stadiums hosted...
respectively.
Held during late April 2003, Australia won its first continental championship, beating hosts Guam , and to win the best of five series three games to one. (Guam won the third game .)
See also
- Australian Baseball FederationAustralian Baseball FederationThe Australian Baseball Federation is the national governing body of Baseball in Australia. Baseball is played in all the mainland states and territories, but it struggles for popularity due to the popularity of many other sports, including the comparable sport of cricket, in which Australia has...
- World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball ClassicThe World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
- Summer Olympic GamesSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
- Baseball World Cup
Footnotes
Olympic GamesOceania Baseball Championship