Why is baseball the only sport where they only congratulate themselves after a game?

[davidheyburn]

After a professional baseball game, the players all congratulate themselves, much like in other sports they wish the other team a sportsmans job well done, some thing like "good game." Now in amateur baseball it is not odd to see the 2 teams line up for a handshake, but why is it that in professional baseball, a sport that is considered to be a 'genuine' sport, they forget the sportsmanship and simply congratulate themselves?

 

[Chipmaker]

Tradition and pragmatism.

At the end of a game, the players are all over the place -- defensive team on the field, offensive team mostly in the dugout, relievers out in the bullpens, and anyone already removed from the game might be in the clubhouse, showered and dressed.

In the lesser sports, pretty much everyone is on the sidelines and just mills out into the center of the field/court/rink.

Plus, baseball teams match up in series, usually three games. Who wants to do a lineup EVERY game?

 

[Luis C]

In football we congratulate ourselves and the other team

 

[Mishima]

Americans are not in a position to do anything to themselves anymore, now that my Japan has put them in their crappy little place back again.

The Americans do steroids, yet they still suck.

Ever wonder why no Japanese was ever reported taking steroids, and still kicks American butt in the real world series of baseball known as WBC?