JAPAN: BASEBALL - AMERICAN STARS DAZZLE LITTLE-LEAGUERS AT A CLINIC HELD NEAR TOKYO

Record ID: 632257

  • Title: JAPAN: BASEBALL - AMERICAN STARS DAZZLE LITTLE-LEAGUERS AT A CLINIC HELD NEAR TOKYO
  • Date: 28th March 2000
  • Summary: ZAMA CITY, KANAGAWA, JAPAN (MARCH 26, 2000) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHICAGO CUBS PLAYERS ON STAGE AND FANS CHEERING MOTHER LIFTING HER LITTLE-LEAGUE DAUGHTER UP TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE SUPERSTARS VARIOUS OF MARK GRACE, FIRST BASEMAN FOR CHICAGO CUBS, SWINGING BAT JAPANESE LITTLE-LEAGUER LOOKING INTENTLY VARIOUS OF DAMON BUFORD, OUTFIELDER FOR CHICAGO CUBS, SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS AND BASEBALLS FOR LITTLE-LEAGUERS JOE GIRARDI, CATCHER FOR CHICAGO CUBS BENDING OVER TO TALK TO LITTLE-LEAGUERS VARIOUS OF BILLY WILLIAMS, CUBS COACH, SWINGING BAT AND DEMONSTRATING AND FANS LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRETT CHANDLER, TWELVE YEAR OLD AMERICAN LITTLE-LEAGUER FROM CAMP ZAMA U.S. ARMY BASE, SAYING: "Really good. You can't really meet any players anywhere else." (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KOJI KAINAI, TWELVE YEAR OLD JAPANESE LITTLE-LEAGUER, SAYING "They all look so strong, They're powerfully built." REED AUTOGRAPHING THE BACK OF A LITTLE-LEAGUER DAMON BUFORD AUTOGRAPHING BASEBALLS AND SHAKING HANDS OF LITTLE-LEAGUERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BILLY WILLIAMS, CUBS COACH, SAYING: "Well, when we came over here it was a long ride, of course, but when we got here I think everybody got their legs on them, and I think they're all going to feel pretty good. The one thing that happens, is that the opening season is always a special part of the season, and of course opening in Japan is a little bit different, but we're opening the season and we're going to look at that and do our best to play hard to try to win the ball games because these ball games count." FANS RUSHING TO BUS IN WHICH THE MAJOR-LEAGUERS ARE RIDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAMON BUFORD, OUTFIELDER FOR CHICAGO CUBS, SAYING: "We come over here, try to beat your teams and beat the Mets and then go home... Yeah, it's far, but it hasn't affected us yet. Maybe, I know they talk about jetlag and we should be tired, but not yet! We're doing pretty good." VARIOUS OF NEW YORK METS PLAYERS ON STAGE AND SHAKING HANDS WITH FANS TINY LITTLE BOY HOLDING BASEBALL AND DOING THE GUTS POSE WITH MAJOR-LEAGUER IN BACK LITTLE-LEAGUE GIRL, WIDE-EYED DENNIS COOK DEMONSTRATING FOR LITTLE-LEAGUERS ON THE FINER POINTS OF FIELDING VARIOUS OF JOHN FRANCO, SIGNING BALLS AND AUTOGRAPHS FOR LITTLE-LEAGUERS JAPANESE LITTLE-LEAGUE BOY SOUNDBITE (English) JOHN FRANCO, NEW YORK METS PLAYER, SAYING: "It's all worth it. I think that to have two American teams come over here, especially play against two Japanese teams and to give the fans of Japan and some of the Americans living here see some good baseball." VARIOUS OF NEW YORK METS PLAYERS SIGNING T-SHIRTS AND BALLS FOR LITTLE-LEAGUERS DENNIS COOK SIGNING AUTOGRAPH AND WALKING OFF INTO HORIZON
  • Embargoed: 12th April 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABXTPYCT4GYB8J3V5X9CKVPD5V
  • Story Text: American baseball superstars have been dazzling little-leaguers at a clinic held near Tokyo ahead of a historic season opener.
    The players were in town for a series of matches which will mark the first time major leagues have opened their seasons outside of North America.
    Aspiring little-leaguers seldom have an opportunity to meet their favourite major-league baseball idols in the flesh.
    They can only see the players on photo-cards, or talk about the stars' victories with their friends.
    The baseball superstars seem to live in a different world, far away from their schools and practice fields.
    But on Sunday (March 26), young baseball fans in Japan were in for a big surprise -- and a pleasant one too.
    American and Japanese little-leaguers had the chance to come face-to-face with their heroes at Camp Zama U.S.Army Base near Tokyo.
    Star players of the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets have turned up for a special baseball clinic for their little fans.
    The two teams are in Japan for a two-game series opener - the first time that the major leagues have opened their regular season outside of North America.
    The adolescents were initially wide-eyed, unable to believe that the superstars they normally only see on television were right before their eyes.
    But soon, surprise turned into jubilation.They crowded around their favourite idols, shaking hands with them and had their shirts signed by the stars.
    "Really good! You can't really meet any players anywhere else!" exclaimed Brett Chandler, a 12 year old American little-leaguer living on Camp Zama.
    "They all look so strong...They're powerfully built!"
    remarked Koji Kainai, also a 12 year old little-leaguer, who had never been to the United States but hopes to make it across the Pacific Ocean to make it in the major-leagues some day.
    The young fans were given pointers on batting and fielding by players each from the two teams during the clinic.
    For the American players, playing the season opener on foreign soil will not affect their performance, said the coach for Chicago cubs.
    "Well, when we came over here it was a long ride, of course, but when we got here I think everybody got their legs on them and I think they're all going to feel pretty good.The one thing that happens, is that the opening season is always a special part of the season, and of course opening in Japan is a little bit different, but we're opening the season and we're going to look at that and do our best to play hard to try to win the ball games because these ball games count," said Billy Williams.
    While several major league players, most notably Mark McGwire of the St.Louis Cardinals, have spoken out against the idea of staging regular season games in Japan, none has shown signs of strong disapproval.
    Cubs outfielder Damon Buford has a clear idea of what he wants to do in Japan.
    "We come over here, try to beat your(Japanese) teams and beat the Mets and then go home..."
    While the games between the two U.S.teams will count in major league standings, of more interest to the Japanese hosts will be the exhibition games in which the Cubs and Mets will play the Seibu Lions and the Tokyo Giants, two immensely popular teams in Japan.
    The games will give Japanese fans a chance to see how their players measure up against the major leaguers.
    U.S.baseball teams started visiting Japan in 1908 but only once has the host team managed more wins than the major leaguers.
    In 1990, Japanese players were 4-3-1 (4 wins, 3 losses, 1 tie) against a team of major league stars.
    Japanese fans are also looking forward to Mets slugger and catcher Mike Piazza, who like Cubs key-player Sammy Sosa will be featured in several high-profile events on the Ginza, the Fifth Avenue of Tokyo.
    The trip is well worth it, says a New York Mets player, if it gives their fans the chance to enjoy a good game.
    "It's all worth it.I think that to have two American teams come over here, especially play against two Japanese teams and to give the fans of Japan and some of the Americans living here see some good baseball!" exclaimed John Franco from the New York Mets.
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