Japan outlasts Korea to win World Baseball Classic

Per SI.com, Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run single in the top of the 10th inning to lift Japan over its rivals 5-3 in the World Baseball Classic finals. This came after Korea forced extra innings with a run in the bottom of the 9th with two outs.

Hundreds of twitterers followed along during the game. It only took seconds for reaction to spill in once the score went final.

The first to tweet the result was @mikeplugh.

@mikeplugh (Akita City, Japan ): Wow! Japan does it AGAIN!! Congrats! #kingsofbaseball #wbc #champions #yakyu



Here's some tweets from Japanese supporters:


@pjaficionado (Okinawa, Japan): Japan just took the WBC....やった！！！



@toshisato (Nanpeidaicho, Japan): Congratulations to Samurai Japan!! it was the most exciting baseball game I've ever seen! #WBC



@miyagawa (San Francisco, Calif.): YEAHHHH!!!!!!!! Japan wins!! #wbc




And tweets from fans of the losing team:

@jinoopan (Bundang, South Korea): Korea lost the WBC, but what a good game.




@jchung (Boston, Mass.): such a depressing way to lose, still buying that korea wbc fitted. sam im not coming to atx if ppl talk [expletive].

Japan outlasts Korea to win World Baseball Classic

Ireland wins rugby Grand Slam

Per BBC, Ireland overcame a 6-0 halftime deficit to defeat Wales 17-15 to win its first Grand Slam since 1948 in rugby on Saturday. England finished second in the tournament, France third and Wales slipped to fourth.

Ireland, Wales and #irewal have all soared to top terms in Twitter trends.

Here's some of the immediate reaction to the epic match from the British Isles:

@holyschmoke (Dublin, Ireland): @garthicus #irewal #6nations #rugby The nation will party tonight - it'll be Paddy's day all over but better!



@paulbuk (Letchworth, U.K.): Ireland won the grand slam after one of the most exciting games if rugby I have seen for a long time



@jonathangrimes (Skerries, Co. Fingal, Ireland): A generation of young rugby players have been truly inspired #irewal



@kevin_brown (Kent, U.K.): Wow. Exciting rugby match from Cardiff. Well done Ireland.



@dragozov (Laytown, Ireland): Congrats Ireland!I'm not a rugby fan, but know how much it means for everyone. #irewal

Ireland wins rugby Grand Slam

Featured TwitPic: Front row of World Baseball Classic

"Sitting front row at world baseball classic with sdsf t shirt on. These players know the science of sport. #wbc" (Japan vs. Cuba in San Diego, Calif., posted by @sdsciencefest, March 15, 2009)

Featured TwitPic: Front row of World Baseball Classic

Italians knock off Canada at WBC

Per the Canadian Press, Italy upset Canada in the World Baseball Classic on Monday night.

One of the Italian pitchers in the game, Jason Grilli, does play for the Colorado Rockies. But the Canadian roster is stocked with major league all-stars such as Justin Morneau and Jason Bay, making the outcome a surprise internationally.

Canadian twitterers are a bit edgy about the loss.

@immy925 (Canada): the world baseball classic!! we weren't supposed to lose THIS early!



@PeterKash (Toronto, Ontario): I can't believe Canada lost 6-2 to Italy of all teams in the World Baseball Classic. I didn't even know Italians played baseball!!! lol haha


@Obiwankenobie (Hamilton, Ontario): The sports scene is as dreary as the weather! Canadian baseball team blown away by Italy, Maple laffs lose to Sens....going back to bed..


@MCBodyknock (Toronto, Ontario): So Canada Cannot play baseball what so ever. Good to know. Hopefully the next time we play Italy in soccer, we can do the same thing?


@mspratt (Undisclosed): crying about Canada's untimely demise the world baseball classic

Italians knock off Canada at WBC

Excitement builds for 2010 World Cup ticket sales

Per Sowetan in South Africa, "Friday's eagerly-awaited opening of ticket sales for the 2010 World Cup is a milestone, once more confirming that the event is definitely coming to South Africa."

Twitter users in South Africa have generated a significant buzz in recent hours about the sale of these tickets.

@guznuname (Cape Town, South Africa): The FIFA 2010 World Cup tickets are going on sale this week! Amazing!



A man in Johannesburg tweeted from a unique perspective leading up to the sales date.

@ChrisOnderstall (Johannesburg, South Africa): Busy busy working on a video outlining the 2010 World Cup ticketing process.. Watch out for it on Friday on Shine 2010


The official Twitter account for the 2010 World Cup announced that a certain number of tickets will be held exclusively for locals.

@Shine2010 (Johannesburg, South Africa): 11% of all 2010 World Cup tickets will be exclusively held for South African residents



But not all tweets were upbeat. A global marketing organization with an affiliate in the nation calmed the news a bit.

@PalmerstonSAF (Cape Town, South Africa): would like to be the first to let you know that organizers fear that the global recession will impact ticket sales for the world cup 2010.


South Africans weren't the only ones on Twitter with an eye on tickets.

@alexkess (Sydney, Australia): Ticketing process for the 2010 World Cup is starting tomorrow. I think I'll be there! Who else is going? http://tinyurl.com/bb2hoj


@clayco (San Francisco, Calif.): planning a trip and rounding up a crew for S. Africa World Cup in 2010. You down? You Going? Let me know

Excitement builds for 2010 World Cup ticket sales