RP-Japan baseball on

The visiting teams from the International Boys Nankyu Baseball Association (IBA) in Japan will face baseball teams from Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Mactan and Cebu cities in a series of exhibition matches set Dec. 27-29 in Cebu.

PTBF chair and Makati Vice Mayor Edu Manzano and PTBF president Boy Tingzon will grace the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Philippine-Japan Baseball Friendship Games at the Lapu-Lapu Military Parade Grounds.

Special guests will come from the provincial and city government, military, sports associations and the Japanese community in Cebu.

The event is hosted by the Cebu Baseball/Softball Association headed by Gacs Gacasan and the De La Salle Alumni Association (Cebu chapter), with Chito Cusi as its head.

The goodwill games were established by Rodolfo "Totoy" Tingzon Sr. in 1982 to promote and update the technology of the sport in the country and develop friendship and understanding between the two nations.

The Japanese delegation is headed by general manager Toshiki Tominaga and will bring two all star youth teams from Tokyo and Narita City.

The Narita team is the All-Japan champion in the junior high school division, while the Tokyo team is a selection of the best players in the Tokyo district. The boys will be housed by several Filipino families, and their coaching staff will conduct baseball clinics as part of their sports and cultural exchange program.