Celebration of Czech Baseball in Washington
18.06.2025 / 20:00 | Aktualizováno: 18.06.2025 / 20:31
Czech Ambassador Miloslav Stašek and Cultural Attaché Jan Woska, in partnership with the Czech Baseball Association and American Friends of the Czech Republic, hosted an evening celebrating Czech baseball heritage at the Czech Embassy on Tuesday, June 10th, 2025.
The guests of honor included Pavel Chadim, manager of the Czech National Baseball Team; Lukáš Ercoli, a pitcher on the team and communications director for the Czech Baseball Association; and Michael Clair, Senior Manager of Storytelling and Special Projects for Major League Baseball (MLB). Clair is currently working on a book chronicling Czech baseball’s newly earned spotlight. Victoria Robinson, on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, also joined and spoke about the importance of sports diplomacy and U.S.–Czech collaboration in baseball.
The program featured a Q&A with the honored guests, who shared stories and insights about the team’s journey toward the 2026 WBC, followed by a short MLB documentary spotlighting the team’s unlikely success. A photo exhibit prepared in cooperation with the Czech Baseball Association lined the walls. The event also served to officially commission the American–Czech Baseball Foundation, established to support young Czech baseball players with opportunities to experience the sport in its homeland, the United States. The foundation is sponsored by MLB veteran and Czech National Baseball Team player Eric Sogard.
The evening concluded with a networking reception that brought together professionals in sports diplomacy, sports business, and cultural diplomacy. Traditional Czech guláš was also served – with, of course, Czech Pilsner beer.
To support young Czech baseball players looking to study in the U.S. consider donating to the American‑Czech Baseball Foundation.
Background information
Throughout the years, the Czech Republic has been known for its successes in sports such as football, hockey, athletics, and tennis. However, in 2023, in the heart of Europe an uncommon sport grabbed international headlines with its remarkable success and underdog story. The Czech National Baseball Team rose to fame when it successfully qualified for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), beating out China to secure a spot in the next WBC in 2026 – but that achievement alone wasn’t what captivated headlines.
What made the story remarkable was that the Czech roster was partly composed of amateurs who held day jobs and played baseball purely for the love of the game.