Baseball Classic Live Feed

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an internationalwinners facing each other for the finals to determine
baseball tournament whose goal is to spread thethe champion.
popularity of the game of baseball all over the world.In Pool A, Korea emerged the winner (3-0) while
Sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation,Japan came in second, while Mexico and U.S.A., each
the WBC is participated in by various national teamswith a 2-1 win-loss slate, emerged as the winners of
from all over the world. The first tournament wasPool B. These four winners formed Pool 1 for the
held from March 3-20, 2006 in various stadiums insecond round.
Tokyo (Japan), San Juan (Puerto Rico), OrlandoOn the other hand, Puerto Rico (3-0) and Cuba (2-1)
(Florida, USA), Phoenix (Arizona, USA), Anaheimled Pool C, while, in Pool D, the Dominican Republic
(California, USA), and San Diego (California, USA).(3-0) and Venezuela (2-1) clearly dominated. These
During this inaugural edition of the World Baseballfour formed Pool 2 for the second round.
Classic, 16 countries adjudged as the bestThe second round again saw Korea (3-0) dominate
baseball-playing countries in the world were invited toPool 1 to move into the single-elimination pool, with
send their national teams. These sixteen teams wereJapan, who tied with the United States and Mexico
divided into four pools, namely:with similar 1-2 win-loss records, but became the
• Pool A - Japan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipeisecond team from Pool 1 for the single elimination
• Pool B - Canada, Mexico, South Africa, and thepool due to a better standing in the tie-breaker
United States of Americaassessment. In Pool 2, the Dominican Republic and
• Pool C - Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto RicoCuba led the pack with identical 2-1 win-loss records.
• Pool D - Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy,The Dominican Republic emerged as the champion in
Venezuelathis pool due to a better standing in the tiebreaker
The tournament was a conducted in a round-robinassessment.
style of competition, wherein each team played onceThe single-elimination round for the semifinals was
against the other three teams in the pool. The topone characterized by upsets wherein runners-up
two pool leaders of A and B were put together inJapan and Cuba beating Korea and the Dominican
the second round into one new pool (Pool 1), and theRepublic respectively. In the final game, Japan
top two pool leaders of Pool C and D were putdefeated Cuba to become the first champion of the
together in a new pool (Pool 2) also for the secondWorld Baseball Classic.
round. Again each team in the new pools playedThe next WBC tournament will be held in 2009, after
against the other three once, with the top two fromwhich the tournament will be held every four years.
each pool put together in a single elimination pool forDownloads of the First World Baseball Classic Live
the semifinals. The champions and runner-ups of eachFeed may be downloaded from the official World
pool face each other for a single game, with theBaseball Classic Website.