Final answer:
Countries like Germany and Russia were excluded from joining the League of Nations, with Germany seen as an aggressor of WWI, and Russia not recognized due to its communist revolution. In baseball, Negro League teams were barred from Major League games, though they often won against white teams, leading to their growing popularity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several powerful countries were initially left out of the formation of the League of Nations following World War I. This notably included countries like Germany and Russia. Germany was not permitted to join the League at its inception as it was viewed as the aggressor in World War I, and the League was largely formed by the victorious Allied powers. Conversely, Russia was excluded due to the Bolshevik Revolution and the subsequent civil war, which led to the establishment of the communist Soviet Union that was not recognized by many Western powers.
In the realm of sports, particularly baseball, the influence of racial segregation policies was evident. Notably, Negro League teams were not allowed to participate in official Major League games. This was exacerbated after Negro League teams began to win against all-white major league teams, leading to a ruling by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, which prohibited major league clubs from competing against black teams. Despite this, the popularity of the Negro Leagues and their players continued to grow, with their teams often defeating assembled white major league 'all-star' teams.