It's a sport with its roots deeply intertwined in the United States, but everybody is trying to catch Cuba. The island country just south of Florida is a powerhouse in Olympic baseball, having won three of the four tournaments, which began in 1992 at the Barcelona games. In fact, the United States didn't even qualify for the tournament at the Athens games in 2004. And, sadly for many, this could be the final Olympics for baseball. It will not be played in London in 2012. But there's one tournament left. What's at stake? Take a look.
- What Is Olympic Baseball?
- Baseball Rules & Competition
- Learn To Play Baseball
- Your Road to the Olympic Team
Olympic Baseball History: Baseball in the Olympics has a short history, but many of today's big-league stars participated in the Olympics in the past. Check:
- An Illustrated History of Baseball
- Past Olympic Baseball Medalists
- Greatest Moments in Olympic Baseball History
Athletes: Because the Olympics are played during the Major League Baseball season, the players on the Olympic baseball team are generally top minor-league prospects who haven't made it to the big leagues yet, with a couple of exceptions:
Action Image Gallery: Check out some of the most memorable images from baseball in the Olympics, and see if there's a few players you might recognize from before they became famous.
