Baseball can trace its roots back to America but has grown to capture the hearts and minds of people around the world. With the sport’s unique blend of athleticism, coordination, strategy, and global intrigue, baseball was an obvious shoe in for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London… right? Not according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC decided to nix baseball from the games making it the first sport to be eliminated since polo in 1936. So what other sports were so important that baseball was bumped off? Check out our graphical take on the “5 Ring Circus” and see what Olympic “sports” were deemed worthy by the IOC.

Why Is Baseball Not In The Olympics Games