Baseball Excluded From 2016 Summer Olympics

The International Olympic Committee voted to exclude baseball from the 2016 Summer Olympics. However, the 2016 games will feature golf and rugby.

Of course, if the games are held in Chicago, baseball fans still have the Cubs and White Sox from which to choose.

Baseball was a demonstration sport in 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles before becoming a medal sport at the 1998 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. It has been a medal sport in every subsequent Summer Olympics including last year in Beijing.

However, the IOC voted to drop baseball from the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and have now chosen to extend it to 2016.

Baseball is pretty much the only reason I bother to watch the Summer Olympics.

Well, OK, I guess I don't mind the Russian Women's Volleyball Team circa 2004.

Chris Ruddick thinks it's probably just as well. He argues that the exclusion of baseball from Olympic competition will enhance the prestige of the World Baseball Classic and I am inclined to agree.