To paraphrase Jim Lovell, consigned to legend along with Apollo 13: Houston, we have a business. For the fifth time in baseball history, Italy beat the mastersbut what we are about to tell is above all one wonderful first time at the World Baseball Classicthe World Cup under the aegis of the rich Major League, against a team of only professionals in the highest and most coveted Stars-and-Stripes league. A team of champions assembled to counter the very strong Japanese. “It’s a shame” that it showed up on the road in the United States, on the Italian night between Tuesday and Wednesday Francisco Cervelli‘s Italy: 8-6 for the Azzurri, under the eyes of the 30,000 at the Daikin Stadium in Houstonon the third day of the world championship tournament and after having already beaten Brazil and Great Britain (they then closed the group against Mexico last night). The United States, incredulous, the Italians applaud and take their hats off.
In one night it exploded again overseas mania for the blues of baseball. Cunning glances of those who know a lot under the visor, champions who cheer themselves up with freshly prepared coffee on the dugout (bench, for the layman) thanks to an electric machine and who greet everyone with the gesture of the four fingers on the thumb, now emancipated from the original sense of “What do you want?” An Oscar for sympathy like in the 2023 edition, when Italy’s coach was another legend like Mike Piazza. But as in 2023 the same ones will also return criticisms from local purists and traditionalists regarding the roots of the AzzurriItalians of father, mother, grandparents. Those who are rude via social media then use the term “Paisà” more as a mockery than as a reference to an ancient history, without however managing to ruin the celebration of a people of saints, navigators and – who knows – pitchers, hitters and runners.
Ahead 8-0 and with homeruns from Kyle Teel, Sam Antonacci and Jac Caglianoneif the comeback of Crow-Armstrong and his companions had succeeded, we would have told a completely different story. An ordinary story, but there is nothing ordinary here at all. Not even that victory was sealed by a strike out by pitcher Greg Weissert on the cover man of the entire World Cup, Aaron Judge, at bat. Without forgetting the highly acclaimed performance of Italian starter Michael Lorenzenpitcher for the Colorado Rockies. The only bad news was Teel’s muscle injury while running to second base, forced to prematurely say goodbye to the iconoclastic gang.
More beautiful
2009 world champion with the Yankees, Venezuelan mother and Italian father from Bitonto, Cervelli celebrates «what is probably one of the best days of my life» and says that «everyone in Italy should see what the boys did. It can happen. It’s possible. Yes, I had to convince people that we can play baseball, that we can accomplish special things». Sam Antonacci is decidedly more direct: «Judging from what is said, I think that for many it is a surprising result, while for us it was a bit predictable. We are already thinking about the next ones.”
Tom Verducci, baseball writer for “Sports Illustrated” with an Italian surname, talks about a «baseball directed by Fellini», of «dreamlike absurdity». «For Italy, it was the “Dolce Vita”. Make yourself a double espresso this morning and iron every crease in your Armani jacket, because the Italians achieved their biggest victory in an international competition». «The biggest win in Italian baseball history – “la grandest Italian victory”, echoes from the US commentary – Viva Italia!» Yes, alive. In every sense.
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