AMONG ALL the sports we Filipinos could have chosen to love, we ironically gravitate towards those favoring the aerially-gifted and the vertically-blessed. Basketball, volleyball, football, and most recently, Ultimate Frisbee, have gained the nation’s attention and only continue to swell in popularity. However, there is one major sport in particular that we are unsurprisingly skilled at, yet have failed to capitalize on: Baseball—where power, reflex, and speed are the name of the game.
Although the country’s eye may not be on baseball as of the moment, Filipinos have been exceeding all expectations and have shone so bright, they have earned international acclaim.
Last June, the Philippines once again made a name for itself over international borders. Comprised of the country’s best players, the national team, which included Blue Eagles Dino Altomonte, Adrian Bernardo, Fausto Eizmendi, and Javi Macasaet, flew to Hong Kong to defend their crown as Champions of the Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA) East Asia Cup 2018.
The Philippines held nothing back to start the tournament, allowing a total of one run in their first two matches, leading to two overwhelming mercy-rule victories at the expense of Singapore and Thailand. Down one run in the next bout against Indonesia heading into the sixth inning of a crucial third matchup, the Blue and Red Batters amassed a thrashing 4-run inning to take their first and final lead, coming away with the 5-2 victory.
All eyes were on the finals showdown between the undefeated Philippines and the perching Hong Kong batters for the East Asia crown.
The Philippines came out to a fiery first two innings, taking a firm 5-1 lead. With their backs against the wall in the bottom of the eighth, the hometown team finally got their swings to connect, amassing a thrilling 4-run side to cut the deficit to two runs. The Philippines, however, held down the fort in the last inning to lock up the game 7-5 and secure their glorious back-to-back Championship.
Home plate
The trophy in Hong Kong, for our own flag-bearing batters, is only a piece in the grand puzzle that each one in the Philippine baseball community aspires to achieve—greater recognition, passion and treasure for baseball.
First and foremost, the Tournament win earned them a slot in the 2019 Asian Championships. This will be a true test of their mettle, facing world-renowned powerhouses such as Japan and Korea, but will also present them a greater chance to shine in the spotlight of the international diamond. In addition, the win also pushes them another step closer to a shot at the 2018 Asian Games.
“I believe this could have a huge impact to promote Philippine baseball. Our goal is to inspire the youth and show that there is potential in our sport,” shares Javi Macasaet.
The boys hope that the impact of their win was not only felt in the opportunities to further represent the country, but in the opportunities and inspiration they could provide back home; as they are hopeful that the victory would encourage more kids to play the sport. “Winning the championship gives everyone else a reason to believe in us as a team and to acknowledge the capabilities and potential that Filipinos possess in terms of our skill in baseball,” adds Dino Altomonte.
