Baseball5 World Cup: Hong Kong, Cuba, Japan, make winning start in low-key tournament
Hosts’ win over South Africa could give a boost to the world championship for the sport, a simplified variation of baseball and softball
There are no posters or other signage visible as spectators approach the Central Harbourfront from nearby MTR stations for the start of the Baseball5 World Cup on Monday.
And despite being an official “M” Mark event – Hong Kong-hosted events to which the Major Sports Events Committee provide matching funds, in this case HK$6 million (US$0.75 million) – hardly any seats at the two event courts were filled over the opening day, which saw several group-stage matches take place from early in the morning.
However, that could change after hosts Hong Kong pulled off a surprise win over group rivals South Africa in the final match of the opening day, winning 2-0.
The Hongkongers, who finished last of the 12 teams in the inaugural edition in Mexico in 2022, won 9-7, 6-5 against the Africans, who had finished seventh in Mexico.
Before the match, five guests – including Dave Ho, chairman of the Baseball Association of Hong Kong, China; and Andrew Fan, president of the Baseball Association of Hong Kong, China – threw opening pitches to officially open the six-day tournament.
Baseball5 is a simplified variation of baseball and softball in which two teams of five players take turns playing offence and defence.
Governed by the World Baseball Softball Confederation – which also oversees those sports at the international level – Baseball5 was proposed in 2017 as a way to to develop the growth of baseball and softball at a global level, citing its characteristics of low cost, fast pace and requiring only a small field.
