In Finland We Have This Thing Called...Pesäpallo

One of the most fun sports we played in school was always Finnish baseball, or boboll as we called it in my neck of the woods. It was a clear sign of spring, which meant that summer vacation was just around the corner. Playing pesäpallo was also unique in the way that it was one of the few sports girls and boys played together.
In addition to the three step power move, you can also fake a bat or just start running when the pitcher (clocker) throws the ball in the air. Strategy and tactics galore =)
My fathers family is from Eastern Finland, around Kitee. Their local team Kiteen Pallo-90 is on a good roll in this years Superpesis! Cheering you from afar! They have now become my new favourite team, replacing my previous favourite and last years winners JoMa!!!

[@ninaw6708]

I swear I've learned more about Finland in these videos than in years of language classes or holidays! Everyday things nobody teaches you!

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

So glad to hear that =)

[@holoholopainen1627]

He IS GREAT - He know many things that many - never even heard of !

[@holoholopainen1627]

He knows many things !

[@stellarkat4657]

I'm from Estonia and pesäpallo (or as we call it, pesapall) is actually a very common activity in our schools' physical education classes In fact, I was very surprised when I first learned about American baseball and found out it was more known

[@EM-ic1yp]

Here's the thing, it's not called American baseball. It's just baseball

[@EM-ic1yp]

Baseball is famous in the US (obviously), Canada, Latin America, Greater Antilles, Southeast Asia, etc.

[@PikeTheFalcon]

I wanted to ask, do you have a way of watching Pesapallo matches there in Estonia? I can't really find a way to watch it here in America, and there certainly isn't any English commentary. I did find the streaming service Ruutu, but that requires a Finnish Bank Account and Telephone to register, both of which are beyond my reach.

[@RugbyRyan]

@@EM-ic1ypit’s bigger in east Asia than Southeast Asia. Japan Korea and Taiwan are in east Asia

[@EM-ic1yp]

@@RugbyRyan Yes, that too.

[@ExperimentIV]

yessssssssss pesis! i miss living in finland so i’m definitely subscribing

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

Welcome =)

[@dome7153]

super funny!!

[@lajohnson1ly]

I'm in the US, and I just learned about this. If I ever travel to Finland, I want to go see a game! I've done a little research to learn more about the game and the equipment, but I have not found what the ball is made of. US rules detail the materials and manner of assembly along with weight and circumference, but Finnish rules don't state material or method of manufacture. Would someone please answer this for me?

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

Traditionally the core is made of pressed cotton waste and wrapped with yarn. The top layer is rubber, which is vulcanised. Modern processes use a polyester core and synthetic thread. The top layer is still mostly rubber...

[@lajohnson1ly]

@@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled At last!!! Thank you. That is similar to our baseball, the main difference our stitched leather cover. Ours is slightly larger and slightly lighter. The rubber makes sense. In every video I've watched, the ball is hit into some water by the field. (I know how many lakes you have!)

[@thomdenholm]

Kids play this in school (you remember, that thing before covid?) so that may be the easiest to find. I stumbled across a rec game while walking after work.

[@holoholopainen1627]

Have You seen any other PESAPALLO on KZbin ? There are several KZbinrs - WHO try to play The game - to Get some attention to Their HOME MADE Videos ! As Let foreigners - taste Finlands #1 candy called salmiakki - trying public sauna - orienteering ( never seen again ) - Ice skating - ski jumping ( Thanks to Matti Nykänen ) ! IS there anything like this - Where You live ?

[@lajohnson1ly]

@@holoholopainen1627 I've seen various videos of Finnish games. It requires research for an American to understand the rules of play, the dimensions of the field, and the equipment. After some study and watching for a couple of hours, I began just barely to understand strategy, although I think it might be easier than English cricket. If I'm ever in Finland, I want to attend a game. I've also seen videos of Americans trying salmiakki. You probably know how they reacted.

[@josephrkennedy845]

So much fun. But $4 million a year is not even an average pro baseball player a year. Think closer to $30 million USD

[@christofferweiss3976]

I stand corrected 💪🏻

[@timomastosalo]

You mean in MLB? How about if we take all the pros`- or are there any lower tiers?

[@lajohnson1ly]

@@timomastosalo The MLB minimum goes up to USD $570K in 2021. In the 3 levels of minor leagues, the minimums were $6,000 in Single-A, $9,350 in Double-A and $15,000 in Triple-A in 2018, paid during their seasons. Many players need additional employment, some even during the season. MLB just cut 43 minor league teams, and remaining players will get a raise, but many players will end up leaving pro baseball.

[@timomastosalo]

@@lajohnson1ly So I guess in Triple-A you can be a Pro, making a living with just Baseball, Double-A you manage if you are a single with no family, and in Single-A most players have other jobs too.

[@holoholopainen1627]

You Have No IDEA - How Much These Players Make ?

[@shura0107]

The other national sport is feeding foreigners salmiakki and watching their reactions.

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

Absolutely! Stay tuned for the salmiakki episode coming soon ;-)

[@lajohnson1ly]

Here's a link to a video of some people in the US. Their reaction was universal. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eofHpIOfadd9fbs

[@grahamlockley4435]

@@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled Still waiting for the Salmiaki video, salmiaki is so good so lets see some reaction. Fazers Salmiaki Chocolale should be outlawed, its addictive.

[@thomdenholm]

Not a single mention of all the colored strategy flags?

[@wolfblitz1991]

I thought Eukonkanto was the national sport of Finland

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

Officially it's pesäpallo. Eukonkanto is also quite popular, though not as popular as ice hockey...

[@wolfblitz1991]

@@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled that goes without saying about hockey!

[@holoholopainen1627]

Wife CARRYING IS so Wierd Sport - that NOT before trying to carry Your Wife - You DONT know - what IT IS ALL ABOUT ! Thank God - that Estonians has made IT an Popular SPORT at Baltic STATES ! As The Last two years an LITHUANIAN Couple - has WON THE TITLE !

[@fish3977]

you kid but I actually do find baseball the most interesting muscle sportt

[@InFinlandWeHaveThisThingCalled]

It is quite interesting. Have you watched a pesäpallo game?