Baseball has been played since the 1904 St. Louis games in the Olympics, but wasn't a medal sport until 1992. It was played in some form as a demonstration sport in 1912 (Stockholm), 1936 (Berlin), 1952 (Helsinki), Melbourne (1956), Tokyo (1964), Los Angeles (1984) and Seoul (1988).

Japan won the event in 1984, beating an American team that included future major-league stars Mark McGwire, Barry Larkin and Will Clark.

The Americans beat Japan in 1988.

Qualifying

The host nation is guaranteed a place, and the other nations are determined by qualifying tournaments.

Four come from continental tournaments (the champion and runner-up in the Americas, one team from Europe and one from Asia). Four other teams have a second chance to make the tournament in an Olympic qualifying tournament, which will consist of two teams from the Americas, two more from Europe, two more from Asia, one from Africa and one from Oceania.

This is the first year for this qualifying format. In previous Olympics, only two teams from the Americas could qualify.

Baseball in the Olympics is governed by the International Baseball Federation.

Player Eligibility

Players had to be amateurs in 1992 and 1996, but professionals were allowed to compete in 2000 and 2004 and can compete in Beijing in 2008. Minor-league players will compete for many countries, including the United States, meaning most of the players will be relative unknowns, many of whom will become more well-known after the Olympics when they make the major leagues.

Field and Equipment

The game is played to almost identical rules as an American League baseball game.

The diamond is the same as used in a standard major-league game. The infield and outfield are graded to be on the same level, and the pitcher's mound is sloped about 10 inches above the infield. The ball is also the same used in major-league baseball.

In the first two Olympic games, aluminum bats were used, which was consistent with rules of amateur baseball at the time. Since 2000, when professional players began to play, aluminum bats were prohibited and players much use wood bats, just as they do in major- and minor-league baseball.

The designated hitter – a hitter who bats in place of another player in the starting lineup, usually the pitcher -- will be used in all games.

Each game will have a six-umpire crew.

Games are nine innings long, and tie games will proceed into extra innings until a winner is decided. A “mercy rule” is in place. If a team is ahead by 10 runs after seven innings, or 6½ if the home team leads – the game is over.

The Teams

Each Olympic team has 24-man rosters. Players on the 25-man major-league roster are not eligible for the U.S. team because they will be playing in the majors during the Olympics. It's not expected that any international players currently in the majors will participate, but that is up to each country to decide.

The U.S. team will be selected by July 15, 2008.

The Olympic Tournament

In the tournament, each team plays one game against the seven other nations in the competition. After that round is complete, the top four teams advance to the medal round. The first place team plays the fourth-place team, and the second-place team plays the third-place team. The winners then play for the gold and silver medals, and the losing teams from the semifinals play for the bronze.

A Threatened Future

In 2005, baseball and softball were each voted out of the 2012 summer games in London by the International Olympic Committee, a controversial move that Major League Baseball and other baseball and softball advocacy groups have vowed to fight.

Both baseball and softball could return in 2016 if they gain support of the International Olympic Committee.

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