Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players. One team tries to score runs by hitting a thrown ball and running around four bases laid out in a diamond shape; the other team tries to get them out by catching the ball or tagging them before they reach a base. A full game has nine rounds called innings.
In Palau, baseball is played in schools, on community fields, and at organised tournaments that bring different islands together. The sport creates a strong sense of community - supporters cheer loudly, families gather to watch, and players of all ages participate. It is one of the sports that crosses all age groups on the island.
Playing baseball develops many skills: hand-eye coordination for hitting, throwing accuracy for pitchers, teamwork between fielders, and strategic thinking for everyone. Palauan children who grow up playing baseball often say it taught them not just how to catch and throw, but how to work as part of a team.