The National Baseball Clubs Championship 2024 is being held at the Da Nang Athlete Training and Coaching Centre.

An action shot from the baseball match. Photo: P.N

The tournament, known as the South Korea Ambassador Cup, is jointly organised by the Viet Nam Baseball and Softball Federation, the Korean Embassy in Viet Nam, and the municipal Department of Culture and Sports.

It is one of the largest events in the country to promote the baseball movement, and seek talents for the national baseball team to compete in international events.

This year’s tournament attracts nearly 200 baseball players of 10 teams from Ha Noi, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa Province), Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Police.

They are divided into two groups, competing in the round robin format with the top teams of each group advancing to the semi-finals. Each match has maximum seven innings or 150-minute limit, and no new inning to start after 120 minutes of play. If it is a draw result after the official time, teams will play extra innings with tie-break rule applied.

The tournament applies the tie-break rule from the baseball rules of the International Baseball and Softball Federation. The so-called mercy rule is applied in the group round and semi-finals when two teams play four innings and there is a gap of 10 points between them. In the final, teams will play seven innings, with the mercy rule and 120-minute new inning are not applied.

The organisers will present awards to the champions, silver and bronze medalists along with individual prizes such as best player, best pitcher, best catcher, best young player and best line-up.

Danang Lemaeus and Danang Hope Whales are two representatives of Da Nang at this year’s tournament.

Player Nguyen Hoang Bao, a member of the Danang Lemaeus baseball team, said he has played baseball for more than 3 years, and he is so happy to compete in the tournament. He added that the national sports event provided the good opportunity for team members to practice and improve their professional skills.

Bao revealed that, to prepare for the tournament, 21 team members, including 19 men and 2 women, took part in three training sessions per week. In addition to internal training sessions, the team played friendly matches with the Korean baseball team in Da Nang.

He expressed his hope that through the tournament, the baseball movement will spread more widely in the city in the time to come.

Sharing the same excitement, player Phung Huu Khoa from the Danang Hope Whales baseball team said “Our team is determined to gain the best results, contributing to the overall success of the tournament”.

Baseball has appeared in Da Nang for many years and is increasingly attracting more players. Baseball matches can be played at the Tien Son Sports Arena, the Chi Lang Stadium, and the city’s Sports and Physical Training Centre.

According to Vice President of the Viet Nam Baseball and Softball Federation Hoang Trung Kien, the baseball training and competition movement is growing stronger and receiving the attention of many units, organisations and individuals at home and abroad.

He emphasised that this was the first time the tournament had been held in Da Nang and also the first time the federation and the Korean Cultural Centre in Vietnam had co-organised the sports event. Baseball is also a popular sport in South Korea. The country has supported, accompanied, and sent coaches to Viet Nam to train baseball.

Vice President Kien said the tournament greatly contributed to intensifying the existing friendship between the two countries, as well as provided an opportunity for clubs and players to exchange, learn, and share experiences, together aiming to develop a widespread baseball movement in Viet Nam.

Through the tournament, the federation will evaluate and select outstanding athletes to prepare for upcoming international sports event, including the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Trong Thao pledged that the city created the best conditions to ensure the success of the tournament. In addition to creating a healthy and beneficial sports playground, the tournament is an opportunity to promote the beautiful image of the city to domestic and international friends, contributing to promoting the development of local tourism.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG