Bhutan

Bhutan is a small county in Asia, located in the Himalaya Mountains between India and China; its capital is Thimphu. While it is not traditionally a baseball nation - in fact, as a country it has tried to keep a lot of the unpleasant sides of modernity and foreign cultural practices at bay - there is a movement to develop the game in this unlikely place.

An article on mlb.com in 2023 on baseball in Bhutan, which included a picture of a game being played in view of Timphu's iconic Buddha Dordenma statue, became viral, prompting a lot of interest in the state of the game in that remote countries. Former players like Curtis Granderson, who has long been involved in supporting the development of baseball in new territories, pledged their support and companies volunteered to offer equipment in support of the fledgling sport. In 2024, the Hudson Valley Renegades of the South Atlantic League announced plans to host a special "Bhutan Baseball day" which took place on August 20th. The team invited players from the country to train with the team and see professional baseball being played for the first time, in addition to stopping on their way to visit New York City and the headquarters of Major League Baseball and catch a major league game.

Further Reading

• Michael Clair: "In the mountains of the world's most remote country, baseball takes hold", mlb.com, August 3, 2023. [1]
• Michael Clair: "Galvanized by viral photo, Bhutan Baseball readies for special US trip", mlb.com, February 6, 2024. [2]
• Michael Clair: "Hudson Valley Renegades' Bhutan Night shows that baseball is truly a global community", mlb.com, August 20, 2024. [3]