Baseball in Brazil: A Summer Abroad Without America's Pastime

As I write this post, I am watching three grown men tremble with fear as they try and plow through their first English language exam. We have been reviewing and practicing for weeks and today is finally the day. I have continually assured them that they will be fine and they have nothing to worry about. The final question on the exam is; what is the greatest sports team on earth? It's extra credit, but they know that if they miss it then they will automatically fail the class.

I’m being facetious, but in all seriousness, Detroit baseball has become a very integral part of our learning and our class discussions.

I have been in Sao Paulo, Brazil for over two weeks, and as far as I have observed, not a soul seems to be familiar with Brandon Inge or Ryan Raburn. They don’t know Miguel Cabrera or Johnny Peralta and Justin Verlander’s no-hitter will never be forgotten because it was never remembered in the first place.

Baseball seems much further away than the thousands of miles that separate the two Americas. It’s not talked about, it’s rarely seen, and people know nothing of it. It’s not disliked; it’s just ignored for the most part.

The only thing reminding me that baseball does, in fact, still exist is the one beautifully manicured ball diamond that I pass by on my daily commute to teach. Each day I stroll past I come closer and closer to hopping the fence and running the bases, so that I can have that all familiar feeling back. Odds are, if someone caught me running the bases doing my best “Kirk Gibson - Dodgers limping” impression then than the Brazilians might think I was losing my mind.

The teaching has been great so far. It feels great to finally be able to do something I feel passionate about and that seems to genuinely make a difference. I love the flexibility and freedom that allows me to integrate my favorite sports and other pop culture elements into the classroom. The pictures I posted are a few of my more “enthusiastic” students after they finished their first examination. Look at that excitement!

In regards to the Tigers 2011 campaign, they seem about as up and down as a Duncan Yo-Yo. Please forgive the corny analogy, but it really sums them up. They have above average hitting and pitching, but are far too inconsistent in both respects. Anything they can do to strengthen the bullpen and add another bat, maybe at second base, then they had better do it. Otherwise, as strange as it is to say, Cleveland could run away with the division.