instagram pinterest linkedin facebook twitter goodreads

DIAMONDS AROUND THE GLOBE: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball

WINNER OF 2004 THE SPORTING NEWS-SABR BASEBALL RESEARCH AWARD

“After all, parallel baseball universes existed elsewhere in the world at the very time the game was establishing itself as postbellum America's nationally played sport, as many scholars, Peter Bjarkman foremost among them, have copiously documented.” — Sayuri Guthrie Shimizu, Transpacific Field of Dreams

PAGE CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION

Baseball is increasingly popular throughout the world, evidenced by the many talented players (such as Ichiro Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, and Hideki Nomo) coming to the American Major Leagues from all over the world. The influx of such players is testament to the many high-quality professional and amateur leagues that now thrive around the globe. In this first of its kind reference, narrative chapters trace the history of baseball in Australia, Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and elsewhere.

Bjarkman profiles the teams and leading players from each country. He also covers the history of tournament play throughout the world, including Olympic baseball and the IBAF Baseball World Cup. This volume provides an invaluable and unprecendented source on the growth of America's "national pastime" into a global phenomenon that one day might feature a true World Series.

Critical Praise for Diamonds around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball

"Truly a triumph of research and good writing, this gem should be on the reference shelves of any library boasting a serious baseball collection." - Library Journal (June 1, 2005)

"Well researched and beautifully produced ... The author has also provided us with a fascinating Introduction which provides an historical analysis of the international game and its problems ... All in all, a fine work." - Reference Reviews (December 5, 2005)

"Diamonds around the Globe is studded with facts about international playing, revealing the evolution of baseball in each country or region, discussing globalization influences, and covering the history of tournament play and teams around the world." - MBR Bookwatch (June 2005)

"Provides a thorough discussion of the tradition of baseball around the globe and effectively shows that the sport is indeed an international one ... Diamonds around the Globe will appeal to baseball followers who are interested in discovering the global dimension of the game. - Booklist Reference Books Bulletin

"It's an attempt to do for the rest of the world what the Baseball Encyclopedia does for Major League Baseball." - The Cincinnati Enquirer

BASEBALL'S TRUE WORLD CHAMPIONS

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC CHAMPIONS (sponsored by Major League Baseball)

2017 (WBC IV, Finals: Los Angeles)
Winner: USA, Runner-up: Puerto Rico (Semifinalists: Japan, The Netherlands)
2013 (WBC III, Finals: San Francisco)
Winner: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Runner-up: Puerto Rico (Semifinalists: Japan, The Netherlands)
2009 (WBC II, Finals: Los Angeles)
Winner: JAPAN, Runner-up: Korea (Semifinalists: USA and Venezuela)
2006 (WBC I, Finals: San Diego)
Winner: JAPAN, Runner-up: Cuba (Semifinalists: Dominican Republic and Korea)
Championship Totals: Japan 2, Dominican Republic 1, USA 1
Cuba Totals: 1 Silver (Total Games: 15 W, 11 L, .577 Pct.)

OLYMPIC GAMES BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
(as official medal sport)

1992 (Barcelona) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Chinese Taipei, Bronze: Japan)
1996 (Atlanta) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: USA)
2000(Sydney) USA (8-1) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: South Korea)
2004 (Athens) CUBA (8-1) (Silver: Australia, Bronze: Japan)
2008 (Beijing) South Korea (9-0) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: USA)

Championship Totals: Cuba 3 (1992, 1996, 2004), South Korea 1 (2008), USA 1 (2000)
Cuba Totals: 3 Gold, 2 Silver (Total Games: 40 W, 5 L, .889 Pct.)

IBAF BASEBALL WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS (called Amateur World Series before 1988)

1938 (AWS I, London)) ENGLAND (only two teams entered)
1939 (AWS II, Havana) CUBA (6-0) (Silver: Nicaragua, Bronze: USA)
1940 (AWS III, Havana) CUBA (10-2) (Silver: Nicaragua, Bronze: USA)
1941 (AWS IV, Havana) VENEZUELA (8-1) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: Mexico)
1942 (AWS V, Havana) CUBA (10-2) (Silver: Dominican Republic, Bronze: Venezuela)
1943 (AWS VI, Havana) CUBA (9-3) (Silver: Mexico, Bronze: Dominican Republic)
1944 (AWS VII, Caracas) VENEZUELA (7-3) (Silver: Mexico, Bronze: Cuba)
1945 (AWS VIII, Caracas) VENEZUELA (10-0) (Silver: Colombia, Bronze: Panama)
1947 (AWS IX, Barranquilla) COLOMBIA (7-2) (Silver: Puerto Rico, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1948 (AWS X, Managua) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (8-1) (Silver: Puerto Rico, Bronze: Colombia)
1950 (AWS XI, Managua) CUBA (10-1) (Silver: Dominican Republic, Bronze: Venezuela)
1951 (AWS XII, Mexico City) PUERTO RICO (10-3) (Silver: Venezuela, Bronze: Cuba)
1952 (AWS XIII, Havana) CUBA (9-2) (Silver: Dominican Republic, Bronze: Puerto Rico)
1953 (AWS XIV, Caracas) CUBA (11-1) (Silver: Venezuela, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1961 (AWS XV, Costa Rica) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Mexico, Bronze: Venezuela)
1965 (AWS XVI, Cartagena) COLOMBIA (9-2) (Silver: Mexico, Bronze: Puerto Rico)
1969 (AWS XVII, Santo Domingo) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Dominican Republic)
1970 (AWS XVIII, Cartagena) CUBA (12-1) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Puerto Rico)
1971 (AWS XIX, Havana) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Colombia, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1972 (AWS XX, Managua) CUBA (14-1) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1973 (AWS XXI, Havana) CUBA (14-0) (Silver: Puerto Rico, Bronze: Venezuela)
1973*(AWS XXII, Managua) USA (10-0) (Silver: Nicaragua, Bronze: Puerto Rico)
1974*(AWS XXIII, St. Petersburg) USA (9-1) (Silver: Nicaragua, Bronze: Colombia)
1976 (AWS XXIV, Cartagena) CUBA (10-2) (Silver: Puerto Rico, Bronze: Japan)
1978 (AWS XXV, Italy) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: USA, Bronze: South Korea)
1980 (AWS XXVI, Tokyo) CUBA (11-0) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Japan)
1982 (AWS XXVII, Seoul) SOUTH KOREA (8-1) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: USA)
1984 (AWS XXVIII, Havana) CUBA (11-2) (Silver: Chinese Taipei, Bronze: USA)
1986 (AWS XXIX, Netherlands) CUBA (10-1) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Chinese Taipei)
1988 (World Cup XXX, Italy) CUBA (13-0) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Chinese Taipei)
1990 (World Cup XXXI, Edmonton) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: Nicaragua, Bronze: South Korea)
1994 (World Cup XXXII, Managua) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Japan)
1998 (World Cup XXXIII, Italy) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Nicaragua)
2001 (World Cup XXXIV, Taipei) CUBA (9-1) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Chinese Taipei)
2003 (World Cup XXXV, Havana) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Panama, Bronze: Japan)
2005 (World Cup XXXVI, Netherlands) CUBA (11-0) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Panama)
2007 (World Cup XXXVII, Taipei) USA (9-1) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: Japan
2009 Scheduled for Europe (various locations)

Championship Totals: Cuba 25, Venezuela 3, USA 3, Colombia 2, South Korea 1, Dominican Republic 1, Puerto Rico 1, England 1 (*=1973/#2 and 1974 under FEMBA administration)
Cuba Totals: 25 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze 1 (Total Games: 288 W, 30 L, .906 Pct.)

IBAF INTERCONTINENTAL CUP CHAMPIONS

1973 (Intercontinental Cup I, Italy) JAPAN (6-1) (Silver: Puerto Rico, Bronze: USA)
1975 (Intercontinental Cup II, Montreal) USA (9-0) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1977 (Intercontinental Cup III, Managua) SOUTH KOREA (10-4) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Japan)
1979 (Intercontinental Cup IV, Havana) CUBA 10-0) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: USA)
1981 (Intercontinental Cup V, Edmonton) USA (7-2) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: Dominicana)
1983 (Intercontinental Cup VI, Brussels) CUBA (8-2) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Chinese Taipei)
1985 (Intercontinental Cup VII, Edmonton) CUBA (8-1) (Silver: South Korea, Bronze: Japan)
1987 (Intercontinental Cup VIII, Havana) CUBA (13-0) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Japan)
1989 (Intercontinental Cup IX, San Juan) CUBA (8-0) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: Puerto Rico)
1991 (Intercontinental Cup X, Barcelona) CUBA (10-1) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1993 (Intercontinental Cup XI, Italy) CUBA (11-0) (Silver: USA, Bronze: Japan)
1995 (Intercontinental Cup XII, Havana) CUBA (9-0) (Silver: Japan, Bronze: Nicaragua)
1997 (Intercontinental Cup XIII, Barcelona) JAPAN (6-3) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: Australia)
1999 (Intercontinental Cup XIV, Sydney) AUSTRALIA (8-1) (Silver: Cuba, Bronze: Japan)
2002 (Intercontinental Cup XV, Havana) CUBA (10-0) (Silver: Korea, Bronze: Dominicana)
2006 (Intercontinental Cup XVI, Taiwan) CUBA (8-1) (Silver: Holland, Bronze: Chinese Taipei)
2010 (Intercontinental Cup XVII, TBA) Tournament Dates TBA

Championship Totals: Cuba 10, Japan 2, USA 2, South Korea 1, Australia 1
Cuba Totals: 10 Gold, 3 Silver (Total Games: 115 W, 12 L, .906 Pct.)