Baseball

Known as America's pastime, and in the city where it first featured as an exhibition sport in 1984, Baseball returns to the Olympic lineup at LA28 after its most recent appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Played between two teams of nine, this bat-and-ball sport is equal parts mental and physical. Over nine innings, teams alternate between batting and fielding with the goal of scoring runs by hitting a ball thrown overhand and running around four bases arranged in a diamond shape. The batting side must use lightning-fast reactions to connect the bat with balls thrown at speeds of up to 100mph, while the fielding side counters with targeted throws and tightly coordinated field play. Each position is highly specialized, demanding elite skill and focus, as the athletes work together during each inning to rack up runs or collect three outs. Baseball is the male counterpart to Softball in the Olympic Games and is played on a larger field with a smaller ball.