Why does the World Series only include two countries?

Question

The World Series is played by Canada and the United States. If it was a true world series it should allow other baseball teams participate such as japanese teams. There are many countries out there that play baseball, but DO NOT participate in the World Series.

Answer 1

The World Series isn't meant to be a competition amongst the world. That's what the Olympics used to be for and what the World Baseball Classic is now for. The World Series is merely to determine the yearly champion in Major League Baseball, with no teams from other parts of the world affilliated with MLB, it comes down to only two countries who could potentially have a team involved, although only two World Series (1992 & 1993) have ever involved a team from Canada.

As far as the actual "name" World Series goes there are many theories as to why the name was given, one baseball myth that just won't die is that the "World Series" was named for the New York World newspaper, which supposedly sponsored the earliest contests. It didn't, and it wasn't.

In fact, the postseason series between the AL and NL champs was originally known as the "Championship of the World" or "World's Championship Series." That was shortened through usage to "World's Series" and finally to "World Series."

This usage can be traced through the annual baseball guides. Spalding's Base Ball Guide for 1887 reported the results of the 1886 postseason series between Chicago, champions of the National League, and St. Louis, champions of the American Association, under the heading "The World's Championship." As the editor noted, the two leagues "both entitle their championship contests each season as those for the base ball championship of the United States," so a more grandiose name was required to describe the postseason showdown between the two "champions of the United States."

But the Spalding Guide -- which, after all, was published by one of the world's largest sporting goods companies, with a vested interest in bringing baseball to other lands -- had grander ambitions. By 1890, the Spalding Guide was explaining that "[t]he base ball championship of the United States necessarily includes that of the entire world, though the time will come when Australia will step in as a rival, and after that country will come Great Britain; but all that is for the future."

This didn't happen, but the name "World's Championship Series" stuck. Reporting on the first modern postseason series, the Red Sox-Pirates battle of 1903, the 1904 Reach Guide called it the "World's Championship Series." By 1912, Reach's headline spoke of the "World's Series," while editor Francis Richter's text still referred to the "World's Championship Series." The Reach Guide switched from "World's Series" to "World Series" in 1931, retaining the modern usage through its merger with the Spalding Guide and through its final issue in 1941. The separately-edited Spalding Guide used "World's Series" through 1916, switching to "World Series" in the 1917 edition.

The Spalding-Reach Guide was replaced as Major League Baseball's semi-official annual by the Sporting News Guide, first published in 1942. The Sporting News Guide used "World's Series" from 1942 through 1963, changing to "World Series" in the 1964 edition.

Moreover, the New York World never claimed any connection with postseason baseball. The World was a tabloid much given to flamboyant self-promotion. If it had been involved in any way with sponsoring a championship series, the fact would have been emblazoned across its sports pages for months. I reviewed every issue of the World for the months leading up to the 1903 and 1905 World's Championship Series -- there's not a word suggesting any link between the paper and the series.

I hope that answers your question.

Answer 2

there aren't 2 countries competing in the World Series. There are 2 leagues within MLB competing. It is called the World Series, for a couple reasons: 1) When the thing started, there was no other professional baseball leagues in the world 2) The best players in the world play in MLB. I think the fact that the MLB all-stars just totally ripped the Japan League all-stars 5 game to 0 proves that fact. 3) No team in MLB is made of players from a single country. There are players from every corner of the world in MLB and that is what gives them the right to call it the World Series.

Answer 3

considering a majority of the players in Major League Baseball are not even close to being American.... it is the best players in the world, therefore it is called the World Series. A ridiculous amount of countries are represented. Americans made the game, so that's where it's played and they aren't going to change it.

Answer 4

The event was so named LONG before the rest of the world, including Japan, even knew what a baseball was. That is why it is called what it is called, not because the entire world participates. That, my friend, is a no brainer!!

Chow!!

Answer 5

we think we are the center of the world and no one else is good enough to compete as "world champion"?

maybe it's because when they started the world series we were the only two places that really played to our caliber. now of course things have changed...but it's hard to change the name of something that has been around for so long...and to invite other countries would change the entire MLB system.

Answer 6

The World Series is actually named after a newspaper that used to sponsor the competition so when it says World in the title it is actually refering to the name of the newspaper.

Answer 7

i only concern myself with the US-there are 2 states that compete in the "world series".

Answer 8

For one, Toronto ain't never gonna get back into the Series, adn secondly, WE INVENTED THE FRICKIN SPORT you would think we could have our own competition in it. People who criticize the world series are just looking for another excuse to make the u.s the bad guy.

Answer 9

Oh really? are the players in the majors only from 2 countries?

Answer 10

We do not want watered down baseball, we want the best of the best.