We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball - by Michael Clair (Hardcover)

About the Book

An inside look at the devotion and development of the amateur Czech Republic baseball team, staffed entirely by players who pursue baseball on evenings, weekends, and vacations from their day jobs, during their victories at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Book Synopsis

Despite long odds and low funds, the Czech Republic's national baseball team of amateur players managed to shock the world at the 2023 World Baseball Classic--the sport's World Cup--when they took an upset win against Spain in the WBC qualifiers and then defeated China in the actual tournament, securing their place in the upcoming 2026 tournament. While the rest of the teams in the WBC rely on experienced professionals, and some like Italy and Great Britain bring in American "passport" players, the Czech Republic's roster consists almost entirely of amateur players who were born and have played only within the Central European nation. The team's roster consists of firefighters, teachers, financial auditors, and field caretakers--even the manager is a neurologist!--and yet the team managed to not only compete on the international stage but succeed against global superstars like Shohei Ohtani.

In a world where athletes have become multi-million-dollar legends, We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball reveals how teamwork, sacrifice, and self-belief can still make a difference. Michael Clair, who spent time with the Czech team throughout the 2023 World Baseball Classic, has unparalleled insight on the team and their unlikely success.

Like the Jamaican bobsled team in Cool Runnings, Leicester City's unexpected Premier League soccer title, and the United States' remarkable victory against Russia in the 1980 Olympics, the Czech Republic baseball team has an underdog story everyone can cheer for. Their story proves it's still possible to build a team from the ground up, with a small player pool, little attention, and a low budget, and compete on the world stage.

Review Quotes

"Underdog stories usually end in victory. The Czech Republic's improbable run in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, with players who had day jobs as firefighters, electricians, and teachers, shows us, however, that triumph and victory are not the same thing."--Craig Calcaterra, Cup of Coffee newsletter

"Baseball came to Czechoslovakia in 1921, but the sport has faced a long, jagged road to penetrate the heart of Central Europe. In We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball Michael Clair chronicles the hardscrabble push of a ragtag group of amateurs determined to do it the right way: homegrown. Clair takes us along as this endearing team of underdogs chases glory on the world stage--or, if not quite glory, something perhaps more lasting, like progress, respect, and the fulfillment of a dream that maybe, just maybe, baseball can become a truly global pastime."--Tyler Kepner, author of the New York Times bestseller K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches and The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series

"Not long ago, even the thought that a book might one day be written about the story of Czech baseball would have seemed far too bold--almost unthinkable. Let alone in English. Let alone in the very cradle of the greatest sport in the world. . . . Michael Clair captivates with his passion for the game, his devotion to everything he believes in. It is an immense honor that he found inspiration in the story of a small country with big baseball dreams."--Pavel Chadim, Czech Republic national baseball team manager

"You'll never find an author and subject better suited for one another, and Michael Clair's passion for Czech baseball shines brightly on every page of this delightful book."--Rob Neyer, award-winning baseball author and commissioner of the West Coast League

About the Author

Michael Clair is a reporter at MLB.com, specializing in international baseball and the World Baseball Classic. He has written and appeared on the MLB Network shows Carded and Inside Stitch, featured in the coverage of official World Baseball Classic, London Series, and All-Star Game programs, and has published in Baseball Prospectus and its associated annuals, as well as Japanese baseball magazine Number. Clair was given the 2024 Global Ambassador Award by MLB.