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With the return of spring to the northern hemisphere, the 2024 baseball season will be upon us shortly. Since I enjoy baseball, and since I can, here's a thread for discussing the sport.
There are a number of professional baseball leagues around the world. Three that may be of the most interest to folks on this forum:
Major League Baseball (MLB), the top organization in the US and Canada. 30 teams organized into two leagues (National, founded in 1876 to replace a prior league, and American, recognized as a major league in 1901 with some prior history). 162 game schedule.
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the top organization in Japan. 12 teams organized into two leagues (Central and Pacific, both dating from 1949, though the history of predecessor leagues can be traced to 1936). 143 game schedule.
Korean Baseball Organization League (KBO League, KBO for brevity), the top organization in South Korea. 10 teams in a single league dating to 1982. 144 game schedule.
Some key dates between now and the end of March:
Feb. 14-15 – most MLB teams’ pitchers and catchers report.
Feb. 19-20 – most MLB teams’ position players report.
Feb. 22 – MLB spring training games begin.
Feb. 23 – the NPB begins spring training games.
Mar. 9 – the KBO begins spring training games.
Mar. 20 – the San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of two games at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, to begin the MLB regular season. The Dodgers act as host for the second game on the 21st. These will be the first MLB games played in South Korea.
Mar. 23 – the KBO regular season begins; all 10 teams have games this day.
Mar. 28 – the MLB regular season begins in earnest, with all 30 teams in action.
Mar. 29 – the NPB regular season begins. All 12 teams play this day.
One bit of trivia:
Last year’s Japan Series winners, the Hanshin Tigers, are the second oldest NPB team (founded in 1936, two years after the Yomiuri Giants). That title is only their second since the founding of the current NPB; their first, in 1985, resulted in the Curse of the Colonel, which is an interesting intersection of Japanese and international baseball, KFC, and (indirectly) the excellent comedy series ‘Cromartie High School.’
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I will readily admit to not being nearly as familiar with the NPB and the KBO as I am with MLB; I hope to be able to use this as an opportunity to learn some about those two leagues, so if anyone follows either of them (or other organizations around the world), please chime in!
There are a number of professional baseball leagues around the world. Three that may be of the most interest to folks on this forum:
Major League Baseball (MLB), the top organization in the US and Canada. 30 teams organized into two leagues (National, founded in 1876 to replace a prior league, and American, recognized as a major league in 1901 with some prior history). 162 game schedule.
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the top organization in Japan. 12 teams organized into two leagues (Central and Pacific, both dating from 1949, though the history of predecessor leagues can be traced to 1936). 143 game schedule.
Korean Baseball Organization League (KBO League, KBO for brevity), the top organization in South Korea. 10 teams in a single league dating to 1982. 144 game schedule.
Some key dates between now and the end of March:
Feb. 14-15 – most MLB teams’ pitchers and catchers report.
Feb. 19-20 – most MLB teams’ position players report.
Feb. 22 – MLB spring training games begin.
Feb. 23 – the NPB begins spring training games.
Mar. 9 – the KBO begins spring training games.
Mar. 20 – the San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of two games at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, to begin the MLB regular season. The Dodgers act as host for the second game on the 21st. These will be the first MLB games played in South Korea.
Mar. 23 – the KBO regular season begins; all 10 teams have games this day.
Mar. 28 – the MLB regular season begins in earnest, with all 30 teams in action.
Mar. 29 – the NPB regular season begins. All 12 teams play this day.
One bit of trivia:
Last year’s Japan Series winners, the Hanshin Tigers, are the second oldest NPB team (founded in 1936, two years after the Yomiuri Giants). That title is only their second since the founding of the current NPB; their first, in 1985, resulted in the Curse of the Colonel, which is an interesting intersection of Japanese and international baseball, KFC, and (indirectly) the excellent comedy series ‘Cromartie High School.’
--
I will readily admit to not being nearly as familiar with the NPB and the KBO as I am with MLB; I hope to be able to use this as an opportunity to learn some about those two leagues, so if anyone follows either of them (or other organizations around the world), please chime in!
