Former NPB, MLB superstar Hideki Matsui backs baseball/softball development in Africa
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<p>Former superstar Hideki Matsui will partner with the African Baseball and Softball Promotion Organization to make baseball and softball more popular in Africa.</p>
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<p>The ultimate goal would be holding a high-school African championship based on the famed Japanese Koshien. <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Tanzania (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/news/federation-focus-tanzania-targets-schools-to-boost-baseball-softball-development-in-east-africa" target="_blank">Tanzania </a></strong>and <strong><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Ghana (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/news/ernest-denso-elected-new-president-of-ghana-baseball-and-softball-federation" target="_blank">Ghana </a></strong>have high school national championships named after Koshien. The Tanzanian Koshien was played for the first time in 2014, and the ninth edition is scheduled f<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Ghana (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/news/ernest-denso-elected-new-president-of-ghana-baseball-and-softball-federation" target="_blank">r</a>om 12 to 15 December. Matsui is working on the address message to the participating players.</p>
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<p>The African Baseball and Softball Promotion Organization believes Matsui to be the perfect partner for the project. The superstar appeared in three Summer Koshien tournaments during his high-school days. In 1992, he received five consecutive walks and made the headlines for "his stoic, emotionless conduct during those at-bats."</p>
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<p><strong>Shinya Tomonari</strong>, 57, a representative director of the organization, commented: "He is a living example of sportsmanship. We aim at developing better human beings through baseball."</p>
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<p>Matsui announced his commitment through an online speech during a press conference that saw the participation of representatives from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Tanzania.</p>
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<p>"I was very impressed by the project," commented <strong>Matsui</strong>. "It is great that there are kids in Africa who can dream while chasing baseball. I've always dreamt of the possibility of interacting with kids from all over the world through baseball."</p>
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<p>Matsui was born in 1974. A left-handed-hitting outfielder, he starred in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1993 to 2002. Matsui helped them win the Japan Series in 1994, 2000 and 2002. He earned the Japan Series MVP honours in 2000. He was named the Central League MVP three times (1996, 2000 and 2002) and was a perennial All-Star.</p>
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<p>He moved to the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) on a three-year US$ 21 million contract in 2002. In 2003, he became the first Japanese to hit a home run in the MLB World Series, when the Yankees lost against the Florida Marlins. He signed a four-year US$ 52 million deal with the Yankees in 2005. He helped the Yankees win the 2009 World Series, earning MVP honours and the <em>Godzilla</em> nickname.</p>
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<p>Matsui played for the Los Angeles Angels, the Oakland A'S and the Tampa Bay Rays before retiring after the 2012 season.</p>
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<p>He was inducted to the Japanese Hall of Fame in 2018.</p>
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