When former NFL quarterback-turned-pro baseball player Tim Tebow announced on Thursday that he would be representing the Philippines in the 2021 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, it might have come as a surprise to some. After all, Tebow is not of Filipino descent, nor is he a resident of the Asia-Pacific country. However, neither of those two things are required because Tebow is a citizen by default. Back in 1987, his parents were serving as missionaries in the Philippines when they had him, automatically making him a dual citizen, and giving him the chance to play for the Philippines now 32 years later.
“I’ve just got such a heart for the Philippines,” Tebow told the media on Wednesday as reported by USA Today. “I’ve just really had a love for the people for a long time. To be able to represent them will be really cool — really, really cool. You don’t get a lot of chances to represent people or places that mean something to you.”
While it might be unique, Tebow is not the first ballplayer to do something like this, as many current players have represented a country that is different from the one they call home.
Here are four current major leaguers that fall into a similar category as Tebow.
Khris Davis, Born in USA, Plays for Mexico: The Oakland Athletics outfielder was born in Southern California and actually received an offer to play for Team USA, but felt he should be faithful by playing for his mother’s native country, Mexico, in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Used to the baseball culture in the country through many years of traveling there with his father, who was a scout for the D-Backs and Dodgers for much of his childhood. Plus, Davis noted that playing for Team Mexico over Team USA would give him more playing time, another reason why some choose to play for an alternative country.
Alex Wilson, Born in Saudi Arabia: A phenomenal right-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, and former star for Texas A&M, Wilson, like Tebow, was born in Saudi Arabia while his father was working as a geologist for Aramco. Although he moved back to the US by the time he was two, Wilson is just the second player in MLB history to be born in Saudi Arabia, and lived there the longest of the two. The first was Craing Stansberry, who was born there but only lived in the middle eastern country for about a month. It is still up in the air whether he’ll represent the US or Saudi Arabia in the 2021 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
Anthony Rizzo, Born in USA, Plays for Italy: The Cubs’ star first baseman is a direct descendent of Italian natives, as his family is originally from the region of Sicily, a large island in the Mediterranean sea. As a result, he took the field for the Italians in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, and his power at the plate aided the team, who had four other major leaguers. In Italy’s best game at the plate, he scored two runs in the 14-4 win over Mexico.
Xander Bogaerts, Born in Aruba, Plays for the Netherlands: A native of the tiny island of Aruba, Bogaerts plays for the Netherlands in international competition, having starred on the 2011 Baseball World Cup team, as well as the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classics. This is because although Aruba is its own country, it is one of the four nations that make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Back in 2017, he helped the Dutch team to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic, even going 1-for-3 with a walk in the 4-3 loss to Puerto Rico that ended their title run. He is just the fifth Arubian to play in the big leagues.
Tebow and his new teammates will be giving it their all on March 20 as they fight, along with 11 other teams, for four spots in the 2021 World Baseball Classic. On March 20, they will take on the Czech Republic in Tucson, Arizona in their first game in the qualifying round.
The 2021 WBC will be a worldwide event, with the tournament running from March 9-23, and games being played in Taiwan, Japan, Phoenix, with Miami hosting the championship round.
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