[pete_b]

Why is baseball's championship in October called the World Series. This is an American game and all the teams are from one nation, The United States. Is The World Baseball Classic a prelude to what a true world series can and should be. Baseball is said to be as American as apple pie and Chevrolet. Is it time to expand the game and make this truly a competition between nations? My personal opinion is that it would definitely make the standards for talent in the United States a lot higher. I would like to see more of it. Anyone else?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by pete_b

Why is baseball's championship in October called the World Series. This is an American game and all the teams are from one nation, The United States. Is The World Baseball Classic a prelude to what a true world series can and should be. Baseball is said to be as American as apple pie and Chevrolet. Is it time to expand the game and make this truly a competition between nations? My personal opinion is that it would definitely make the standards for talent in the United States a lot higher. I would like to see more of it. Anyone else?

What?...No way man...let them get thier own National Past time ...we came up with this one...crafted it slowly over the years...and now you want to let them all in ... I say no!...Hey Pundit my "Purity in Sport's friend"...were is your backing when I need it?

[Lefty Noob]

I dunno, Gotham. Those conspiracy theorists say that baseball's carefully checking attendance figures, planning to someday put a Major League team in the Dominican, Puerto Rico, maybe elsewhere if they can draw enough fan interest and ticket & merchandise sales.

And by the way, pete_b, hate to be a nitpicker but... you know they still have an MLB team in Toronto, Canada, right? So technically the teams are from two nations. Still makes it a North American Series, not a World Series though. But if the winner of the North American Series were to someday play the winner of a new International Series? It's food for thought.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

I dunno, Gotham. Those conspiracy theorists say that baseball's carefully checking attendance figures, planning to someday put a Major League team in the Dominican, Puerto Rico, maybe elsewhere if they can draw enough fan interest and ticket & merchandise sales.

And by the way, pete_b, hate to be a nitpicker but... you know they still have an MLB team in Toronto, Canada, right? So technically the teams are from two nations. Still makes it a North American Series, not a World Series though. But if the winner of the North American Series were to someday play the winner of a new International Series? It's food for thought.

Puerto Rico I can sort of see...maybe...the Dominican don't have an economy to support it..heck if Montreal couldn't hack it, the Dominican can't hack it, unless all other teams are going to pitch in and support the franchise...and outside Mexico all other places are too far...so yeah, let MLB go check it all out...its a numbers game, and no owner in their right mind would pass up a state side franchise to put one in an economy that can't support multi-million dollar egos...talk about your small market teams...but hey conspire away my good man...I like the theories...

[pete_b]

Thanks for the correction on the Toronto/North American thing Lefty. Toronto is practically another American City. Plus, all this talk about Puerto Rico and The Dominican Republic makes me think "what about China, and Japan"? I still can't spell Ichiro but whoever is writing his checks sure can.

[EmpireWF]

It's called the WORLD SERIES because it's watched around the world and people from around the world play in it.

[pbald]

I think calling the October classic World Series is an overstatement. Most players are either from North America or the Caribbean.
Baseball is also played in Europe, and yes, I agree, the quality there might be Class A here, but it's still baseball.
Watched all over the world?, don't think so, put together all the fans from Africa, South America and Europe and you won't be able to fill the smallest right field bleachers.
Even canadians don't find baseball that interesting, hockey is their national sport.
Don't get me wrong guys, I love baseball and don't know what to do at times from november to april, just saying that the World Series is not as international as its wording indicates.

Thanks,

Peter.