There's a pitcher, a batter ... even a river sometimes. Welcome to Finnish baseball

If you've spent any time on social media recently, letting your eyes glaze over as the algorithm spoonfeeds content directly to your frontal cortex, then you have likely seen pes?pallo -- Finland's high-octane version of baseball and the country's national sport. While it has many of the hallmarks of baseball -- there's a bat and a ball, there are fielders (this version has two shortstops), there are innings and three outs -- it is most definitely its own sport.

The game, brought to the country by Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala in the 1920s and combining traditional Finnish bat-and-ball games along with the American-style of baseball, emphasizes athleticism, baserunning and tactical acumen instead of the pitcher vs. hitter matchups that largely dominate Major League Baseball. That, combined with an ingenious river camera set up at Vimpelin Veto's home stadium to show fielders diving into what appears to be the abyss, have helped turn the sport into viral magic. (Click play on the video below. Trust me.)

When asked for his reaction to the uptick in global viewers, who may not have come across the sport before, Juho Juhantalo, chairman of the Puna-Mustat (Translation: Red-Black) club in Helsinki, has a succinct answer:

"It's about time."

On Sunday, the club will host an English-language broadcast of the sport, showing off the game for an audience that probably doesn¡¯t know the difference between an oikea sy?tt? (strike) or v??r? (ball.) The action will start on Sunday, August 4, at 2 p.m. local time in Helsinki or 7 a.m. EST with the game being broadcast on Ruutu+ in Finland and on their YouTube channel around the world. The broadcast comes just two weeks after Sotkamon Jymy -- the most successful team in Finland's top division -- did the same in hopes of reaching a global audience.

The first time a baseball fan encounters pes?pallo -- or pesis -- it can feel disorienting, like you're living inside of a dream. So many of the pieces of baseball are there and yet ... it's very much not.

There are still three bases and home plate, but now you run between them in an almost zig-zag fashion.

There is still a pitcher and a batter, but the pitcher ¨C known as lukkari in Finnish ¨C stands beside the hitter (ly?j?) and tosses the ball straight into the air. Because these pitches are easier to hit, batters look to control where the ball lands more than how hard or far they can hit it.

Each team also has nine players, except they also get three designated hitters known as ¡°jokers¡± who are inserted into the batting order.

Oh, and if a fielder catches the ball in the air? Yeah, that¡¯s not an out. The goal of the game is to get the ball to the base before a runner reaches rather than converting outs in the air.

For someone who has lived and breathed American baseball, all of that can make your head spin. That¡¯s one of the reasons Juhantalo is so excited for the English-language broadcast. Now, this nascent audience that has come across the game in 30-second chunks on TikTok can see and appreciate the skill and decision-making on which the sport is built.

Juhantalo, who spent most of his career in the Minor Leagues for his hometown club, Kankaanp??n Maila, save for one appearance in the Superpesis -- Finland's top pes?pallo league -- suggests you pay attention to two things when watching this weekend:

The multi-colored signal fan, merkkiviuhka, which is used by a coach to share the strategy to the hitter and baserunners. This, as the broadcast will explain, will help you understand the types of hits or ¡°shots¡± the batter will be aiming for and what the runners will hope to do on the base paths.

The other thing to note is the sheer athleticism of the players on the field. Because the focus in this game is on baserunning and fielding rather than hitting and pitching, every player save for the Jokers is required to be in peak physical condition.

¡°It's quite a demanding sport in terms of the pace,¡± Juhantalo said with a smile.

He also made sure to shine the spotlight on three Puna-Mustat stars, who will give you a full sense of the skills on display.

He lists Veli-Matti Sigvart -- "he also played in the top league and is the captain" -- and fielder extraordinaire Aleksi Rantala. "Watch him in the field. He's playing first shortstop and making most of the outs," Juhantalo said.

Then there's Jere Dahlstr?m, who is, "historically, the second-best hitter of all-time. I was able to lure him to our team after last season," Juhantalo noted with a smile. "It's why everyone wants to beat us. We hired one of the best players to the Minor Leagues."

Though he grew up in a small town of about 13,000 people, Juhantalo -- who currently works in technology and gaming for Google -- now lives in Helsinki and dreams of making Finland's biggest city a hub for pes?pallo. He describes his vision for Puna-Mustat -- currently in the second-division -- as "progressive." He sees a thriving youth system, a club that welcomes any and all to the ballpark, and a spot in the Superpesis by 2027 as a crucial part of that goal.

"The broader mission is to bring back the Finnish baseball culture to this city," Juhantalo said, noting that it's been 51 years since a Helsinki team last won the men's title and 48 since a women's team won. "We've thought a lot about it. We've done a lot of marketing. We've attracted new youth players, established new teams, but we want to accelerate it and make it accessible for everyone. The Finnish population in the next 70 years will change. We're not having kids, so we need a huge influx of immigrants. If we don't help them understand what our national game is, the national game will die.¡±

That means a number of English-language articles on the team¡¯s website in addition to the upcoming broadcast. They¡¯ve also started hosting "Pesis Tuesday," where anyone and everyone can come out and play the game.

"We wanted to find a simple concept, so we invited all ages to play every Tuesday on five courts. We hired coaches, we bought equipment for 1000s of Euros and and it's been great. We've got players between 4 and 64," Juhantalo said. "Inclusion for everyone. We can't get to where we want unless we find everyone who's interested."

That includes women¡¯s pes?pallo players, who, in a recent survey, make up nearly 50 percent of the players at the junior level. The spectators for the biggest women's game can match many attendance marks for the men's games and there's been a sharp increase in viewers of the women's game, as well.

All of this gives Juhantalo, who also spent a season coaching a women's team, a bright view of the future of the sport in Helsinki.

"It's a necessity for us to get to the big cities," Juhantalo said. "That's the mission we're on -- to bring the culture back up to '73 when the men won the last championship and Helsinki was on top of Finnish baseball."

For those who tune in on Sunday, you could be one of the first to get a peek at that future. Watch the game at 2 p.m. local / 7 a.m. EST on Aug. 4 here.

More from MLB.com

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
mfhoudan.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
jerusalemdispatch.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
worldhealthstory.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
techguroh.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com