Group D: Zagreb, Croatia
Zagreb, Stadium Središće Address:
Bundek street
Zagreb, Croatia
Map for Zagreb, stadium Središće:
zagreb2009baseballworldcup.com/index.php
Visit the Zagreb 2009 Baseball World Cup Site for more information:
zagreb2009baseballworldcup.com
Zagreb
The largest city and capital, Zagreb is the cultural, economic, and governmental center of Croatia and home to over 800,000 residents. Situated in the north-central part of the country, Zagreb is an important trading center due to its proximity to the Adriatic Sea as well as Central Europe. Zagreb has also become an increasingly popular tourist destination, with over half a million visitors annually, mostly from Italy, Austria, and Germany.
Opportunities abound for those visiting Zagreb. Home to a multitude of galleries and museums, including the Moderna Galerija, Zagreb has over 3.6 million exhibits within its city limits. The Croatian National Theater, constructed in 1895, and the Vatroslav Lisinki Concert Hall, provide visitors and residents alike with an opportunity to explore the arts. Zagreb is also the site of various festivals, including Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Films, and Zagrebfest, Croatia's oldest pop-music festival.
Zagreb also plays host to some of Croatia's most important sporting events, and features its most important sporting venues. Zagreb Arena, which was completed in 2008 and can hold over 16,000 fans, was the site of the recently completed 2009 Men's World Handball Championships. Maksimir Stadium, home to Dinamo Zagreb and an important landmark in the sporting culture of Zagreb, is currently undergoing renovations to expand its seating to 55,000 spectators and install a retractable roof. The Sports and Recreation Center Salata is one of the city's most versatile sporting centers, featuring eight tennis courts, swimming pools, basketball courts, football fields, a gym, and a fitness center. Zagreb also features successful domestic league teams in football, basketball, handball, water polo, and rugby.
Croatia
Since its independence, Croatia has been a highly successful sports country in international competition. The most popular team sports include football, handball, water polo, and basketball, while tennis, skiing and swimming are prevalent individual sports. Currently, Croatia are the reigning water polo and handball world champions and captured last year's Davis Cup. Croatia has also been highly successful in football in its short history, finishing third at the 1998 World Cup and reaching the quarterfinals of the 1996 and 2008 European Championships.
Baseball is beginning to gain a foothold in Croatia. The Croatian National Baseball Team has participated in the bi-annual European Championships since 1999, recording its best finish in 2007 by finishing eighth.
Great Britain
Britain is the birthplace of many modern sports, such as rugby, tennis, and cricket, and sports plays an important role in the lives of many residents. While cricket and rugby are extremely popular, football eclipses both of them. Some of the world's foremost club teams, such as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool play in the English Premier League, which is considered one of the most competitive in the world. The England and Scotland national side are also highly successful, with the crowning achievement being England's world cup victory in 1966. Britain also hosts one of the world's preeminent tennis tournaments, Wimbledon, and boasts some of the games greatest players, including legend Fred Perry.
While long considered an American sport, many now claim that baseball was first played in Britain during the 1750's. However, the game did not take hold until much later, and peaked in popularity during the years directly following WWII. During that time, baseball teams shared field with football teams, and the games were run on a professional level, drawing upwards of 10,000 fans. In 1938, the British team won the inaugural Baseball World Cup, defeating the United States.
Currently, the National Baseball League is the highest level of domestic play in Britain, and falls under the governance of the British Baseball Federation. It consists of two divisions, the North and the South, and has been won by the London Mets the last two years. The national team has had a strong presence in international play. In 2007, they placed second at the European Baseball Championships and were invited to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics Final Qualifying Tournament. The second place finish, which was their best result since 1967, is a great springboard for the future success of baseball in Great Britain.
Nicaragua
Home to roughly six million people, Nicaragua is geographically the largest nation in Central America, estimated to roughly be the size of New York state. Despite this fact, it is the most sparsely populated. Nicaragua declared its independence in the early 19th century after approximately 300 years of Spanish rule. Nicaragua operates by what is known as a unitary republic, which is divided into 15 departments and 2 independent communities. The country is a staple of diversity in terms of its geographic characteristics. The west coast of Nicaragua is known for being traditionally Volcanic and fertile. The east coast however is reputable for being swampy, marshland. Nicaragua profits tremendously from its agricultural wealth, yielding roughly $300 million American dollars annually.
Soccer and boxing are popular, yet there is no denying that baseball dominates the athletic landscape of Nicaragua. It is revered as the country’s most popular, commonly played and watched sport. The game was incepted through out Nicaragua in the late 19th century. A small, organized league exists, consisting of five teams. Nicaragua has produced several Major Leaguers, including Vincente Padilla of the Texas Rangers, Devern Hansack of the Boston Red Sox, and the country’s most famous baseball patron, Dennis Martinez or El Presidente, as he is referred to by native Nicaraguans. Martinez, who played 23 years in the Majors, was the first Latin American born player to record a perfect game on July 28th, 1991.
Japan
“The Land of the Rising Sun” consists of roughly 128 million people, making it the tenth largest country in the world. 6,852 islands cover the Japanese landscape, four of which however, Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku, occupy 97% of its land. Most of the islands are mountainous, including Mount Fuji, which is the highest peak in the country. Japan implemented a constitution in 1947 and has also been able to uphold a unitary constitutional monarchy quite efficiently, reminiscent of what Great Britain, Belgium, and Spain have also been able to sustain. This form of government is when a monarch acts as the head of state within the constraints of the constitution. Japan has the second largest economy in the world, excelling specifically in the fields of technology, banking, and machinery. Japan also has the world’s highest life expectancy
Sumo is recognized as the national sport of Japan. Martial arts such as Judo and Karate are well-liked as well. Baseball however has become the most watched spectator sport in the country. Japan incepted a professional baseball league in 1936. Prior to the 1950 season, the owners of the Japanese Baseball League decided to reorganize their structure. The Nippon Professional Baseball league (NPB) was formed, and has become the highest level of competition in Japan. The NPB consists of two leagues, known as the Central and Pacific leagues. The teams’ play anywhere from a 130-140 game schedule, ending with a “Nippon” Series to crown a champion. Japan is rich with baseball talent and has seen many of its native sons play Major League Baseball. Most notably, 1995 Rookie of the Year, Hideo Nomo, 18 game winner, Daisuke Matsuzaka and 2001 American League Most Valuable player, nine time All Star, Ichiro Suzuki.
Contact for the Croatian Baseball Federation
Tel: +385 (1) 3012355
Fax: +385 (1) 3012355
E-mail: hrvatski.baseball.savez@zg.htnet.hr
