1952 - an exhibition of Finnish sport

Emblem of the 1952 Summer Olympics, held in Helsinki

I have had this post in my mind for quite some time after doing research into the origins of pesäpallo. Whilst the beginnings of pesäpallo date back even prior to the official commencement date in 1922, 1952 is actually an important year for showcasing pesäpallo on the world stage.

Post war Europe 

With political and social divisions in Europe in a state of self-reflection, the ideals of cooperation and prosperity took on an international element. Whilst gripped in an ideological struggle between the free-market west and soviet east, many countries sought strength in the form of cooperation and mutual economic practices. In stark contrast this period saw the birth of nuclear and atomic weapons testing. This atmosphere culminated in the birth of 2 organisations:

A. The Nordic Council - which was established by agreement in 1952 and met in 1953; and

B. The European Coal and Steel Community (the foundation organisation that became the European Union).

Eventually Finland would join both of these organisations, but for now the Paasikivi-Kekkonen policy of neutrality meant that Finland did not join and ensured a non-threatening position in international politics between the West and USSR.

Finland on the world stage

After decades of struggle and conflict, including the Civil War and Winter War, the relatively obscure and previously underrated Finland became prominent on the world stage. In 1952 Finland hosted the Summer Olympics in Helsinki, showcasing a number of events including pesäpallo. In addition (whatever your thoughts on the morals behind Miss Universe) 1952 saw Armi Kuusela of Muhos in Northern Ostrobothnia (Northern Finland) became the first person to win the title of Miss Universe. 1952 also marks the completion of Alvar Aalto’s town hall in Säynätsalo (Jyväskylä) and is considered one of his greatest works. It is said that Aalto saw it as important to include in his design a representation of democracy and the people’s relationship with the government, which is why he included a large public space and sections dedicated to the public. 

1952 - an exhibition of sport

With the Summer Olympics being held in Helsinki, it was a perfect opportunity to showcase Finland’s talents and culture. Of note is the fact that pesäpallo made its debut to a global audience - this is he first time that the sport was being seen by an international audience.

The game was organised between the Finnish Baseball League (Pesäpalloliito) and the Worker’s Athletic Federation (Työväen Urheiluliitto) on 31st July 1952 and was played at the Olympic stadium to a huge crowd of 19,309. The ‘first pitch” was ceremonially thrown by pesäpallo’s creator Lauri Pihkala and the game lasted for about 1 hour, with Pesäpalloliito winning 8-4.

Curiously this year marks another exhibition game and first for Finland... an exhibition Cricket match. A visiting team from the HMS Agincourt (a Royal Navy destroyer) played an exhibition game at Pallokenttä in Helsinki. Whilst the history of cricket in Finland predates 1952 considerably, with sporadic matches going back to the 19th century, the exhibition match in the Olympic year was symbolic and sparked the beginning of modern cricket in Finland. 

The rise of both sports is of great significance to me and (having an appreciation and history with both) I can see a vast number of common skills and ways of thinking. My experience with Cricket and Baseball has led me perfectly to Pesäpallo and given me insights and ways of thinking that many others may not see at first.

Towards the future

Whilst 1952 was a great year for exhibiting Finland generally, it also became a fundamental year for developing the proud and welcoming sporting community. With almost 70 years in the making, 2020 saw a new exhibition blending the communities of Pesäpallo and Cricket during the SM-Viiko in the form of an indoor cricket match between Cricket Finland and Joensuun Maila. 

I don’t know what the future holds for pesäpallo or indeed for any sport around the world; however the current Coronavirus pandemic has left Finland in a rather curious position - many countries are still under very strict lockdown rules and sport is practically non-existent around the world. With the rules on social isolation are being relaxed in Finland, pesäpallo and cricket are being played and available to a worldwide audience. For once there is a perfect opportunity to showcase Finnish sport once more as demand for live sport means people start to seek out new things.

Will 2020 be a new beginning for pesäpallo in an international setting? I certainly hope so. The access to pesäpallo is much greater than it ever has been, with more resources in English and a surge in interest from the Indian subcontinent as well as those more familiar with baseball, from the US and Canada.

On a personal note

If all of the above wasn’t enough to make 1952 an important year, on a personal note the year has one more important event. 1952 marks the year that my Father was born, in a small hospital in the Scottish countryside. As regular readers will be aware, my Father is a huge cricket fan and has played for the entirety of my life every summer. In addition to this he introduced me to baseball, in particular MLB. Without him and his strong connection to bat and ball sports I would not be here writing these posts trying to promote pesäpallo in English...