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![Pesäpallo (colloquially known in Finnish as pesis and also referred to as Finnish baseball) is a fast-moving bat-and-ball sport that is often referred to as the national sport of Finland[2] and has some presence in other places including Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and Canada's northern Ontario (the latter two countries have significant Nordic populations). It is similar to brännboll, rounders, lapta, and baseball.
The basic idea of pesäpallo is similar to that of baseball: the offense tries to score by hitting the ball successfully and running through the bases, while the defense tries to put the batter and runners out. One of the most important differences between pesäpallo and baseball is that the ball is pitched vertically, which makes hitting the ball, as well as controlling the power and direction of the hit, much easier. This gives the offensive game more variety, speed, and tactical aspects compared to baseball.[3] The fielding team is forced to counter the batter's choices with defensive schemes and anticipation.
The manager has an important role in pesäpallo, leading the offense by giving signals to the players using a multicoloured fan. The defensive team play is directed by the manager's orders and hand signals by the fielders.[3]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ifaulfvhqima7fzrje3f4cuy/bafkreiebzsvfc5f2gagp3zzo32iii67hfr63uw5rzwulvlxg74imsi3suy)
