Episode Details
Back to EpisodesHow Japan Flipped the Script on America’s National Pastime: The Global Rise of Baseball
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In this episode of Sportly, we dive into the unlikely journey of baseball from a symbol of American soft power to a global phenomenon dominated by Japan. Host Kavitha Davidson traces the game’s roots in Meiji-era Japan, unpacks how post-WWII baseball diplomacy shaped U.S.–Japan relations, and revisits iconic moments—from Babe Ruth’s tour to Shohei Ohtani’s World Baseball Classic showdown with Mike Trout. With history, culture, and politics all in play, we ask: does baseball still belong to America, or has Japan truly made it its own? It is a must-listen for fans of sports history, geopolitics, and epic underdog wins.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writers: Nicholas Black & Kavitha Davidson I Fact Checking and Research: Shahmeer Nawaz I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
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