Joel Wilson – Staff Writer

jnw5443@psu.edu

On March 11, in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States hosted Great Britain in Pool Play during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Any matchup of the USA and Great Britain is highly anticipated, and the 2023 WBC was no different. 

Memes began to crop up on all social media platforms in anticipation of the game. The Arizona Diamondbacks, whose stadium hosted the matchup, tweeted a photo of a teabag being held above their pool in right center field. “1,776 retweets and we’ll drop the tea at first pitch tomorrow” the caption read. Roughly an hour later, the team tweeted out again, “Well that didn’t take long.”

The promise was kept, and the tea bag found itself floating in the pool as Great Britain and her former, now free, Colonies began the game. Like the revolution itself, the British had the early advantage. US-born Trayce Thompson, who qualified to play for Great Britain because his father was born in the former British colony of the Bahamas, used his training with the Dodgers to take Adam Wainwright deep in the first inning. As he returned to the dugout, a kingly robe and crown were placed upon his head in celebration. In a shocking twist of events, the Americans found themselves down at their own game against one of their greatest rivals. 

Like the revolution, though, the Americans rallied. In the bottom of the third inning, Paul Goldschmidt reached first base on an error by the British shortstop. He advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Nolan Arenado followed up by doubling his teammate home, tying the game. Schwarber advanced Arenado to third with a sac fly. Trae Turner walked to set up runners on the corners with two out. Former Pirate Vance Worley was pulled for Britain and replaced Jake Esch. 

Kyle Tucker promptly singled home Arenado, making all things right in the world again. America would score 3 more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a tremendously smacked three-run homerun from Kyle Schwarber. The fans, mainly decked out in stars and stripes, roared their approval. The homerun landed just beyond the pool where the Boston Tea Party was re-created earlier in the day. It was a historically pleasing moment. 

The United States scored one additional run in the sixth inning and only allowed Britain to shorten their margin by one. Pittsburgh Pirate closer David Bednar sent the British down in order to end the game. The sun may never set on the British empire, but it does set on British baseball.

While many considered the 0-0 draw in the World Cup to be an American victory on the grounds that they simply did not lose, the victory in the World Baseball Classic was a conventional win for the States. The Americans continued in the Pool Play round by losing to Mexico, but beating Canada via the mercy rule, and defeated Columbia to secure a spot in the semi-finals round. 

The World Baseball Classic is good for the sport of baseball. The passion of the fans is evident, and MLB is reporting some of the highest numbers of viewership in the sport’s history. The WBC is even growing the game in traditionally non-baseball watching areas like the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. In recent memory, the only conversation being held about baseball is one of the imminent death of the sport, but the WBC seems to, thankfully, be proving those sentiments wrong.