Baseball International Takes MSBL Members to China
By John Gilmore

Based in Michigan and founded in 1994, Baseball International has taken dozens of MSBL players from across the country to Russia, China, Italy, Switzerland and beyond as goodwill baseball ambassadors. For most trips, Baseball International creates two complete rosters, two American teams. A purely recreational player is guaranteed plenty of playing time with the "good will" team, while the best players are placed on the "competitive" squad.

Combining international baseball competition with exotic sightseeing, Baseball International arranges five trips each year. Each trip allows players to experience the adventure and excitement of playing baseball in a foreign country against baseball-crazy, friendly foreign hosts, while absorbing the culture through an extensive sightseeing program.

Baseball International is not an MSBL-sanctioned organization and HardBall Magazine has not promoted or publicized its activities in the past. Nonetheless, most of the players who take Baseball International tours are MSBL members, who contact Baseball International and sign up for the trips individually. Baseball International's latest adventure, a road trip to China in May, 2002, included a dozen MSBL players.

Baseball in China
Robert Siciliano at bat
Baseball's roots in China date to 1869, when missionaries in Shanghai introduced the game since known in China as bangqui. By 1895, three Chinese universities had established baseball teams and engaged in spirited annual competitions.

But baseball, along with every other activity or idea that hinted of capitalism, individualism, intellectual freedom or American culture, fell into extreme disfavor during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960's. Baseball disappeared from China and seemed to be gone for good.


Another Funny Bit of Baseball History
Bizarre things seem almost commonplace in baseball history. To Americans, at least, it seems absurd for the Chinese to banish the game as an act of cultural warfare. The way baseball reappeared in China - if the following story is true - is equally odd.

After a decade of brutal suppression, the grand old game got a new life in the inscrutable East when a Chinese Army General decided that playing baseball might be a good way to improve the grenade-throwing skills of his soldiers, or so the story goes.

By 1975, the sport had earned official government sanction as a worthy activity in China's international sports program. Chinese government propaganda declared "the baseball movement" to be an important part of Mao Tse Tung's revolutionary sports program, because, as every patriotic revolutionary now knows, it encourages "the diligent study of Marxism, Leninism and Maoist Thought." And you thought it was just throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball!

In preparation for the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the People's Republic of China launched their first official major league baseball organization called the Chinese Baseball League (CBL). Still in its early years, Chinese organized baseball has already attracted the attention of Major League Baseball, as shown by last year's signing of right-hander Wang Chao of the Beijing CBL team by the Seattle Mariners.


The China Tour, 2002
Baseball International's May road trip was an eight-day, six game visit to Beijing for games against local college teams and CBL minor league teams. Following mornings of extensive sightseeing excursions to Tianamen Square, the Great Wall of China, Ming's Tomb, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Confucius Temple, and the Buddhist Lamasery, the afternoon ball games were played in the new Olympic Baseball Stadium and on several college campuses.

Taking the Foreign Devils as their team name, the American "competitive" team won four and lost two versus the Beijing Eagles, Northern Beijing Polytechnical University, Tsinghua University, the Beijing Tigers, Luchang (the CBL Beijing Lions' minor league team), and another visiting team from Japan.


Team Stars
Anthony Ranieri of the Long Island MSBL North Shore White Sox was the batting leader for the Foreign Devils, with thirteen hits and a sizzling .684 average. "Baseball has taken me to a lot of places in the US, but Baseball International gave me a fabulous cultural experience and great baseball comradery in China," said Anthony. "Pitching against the Chinese minor league team [Luchang] was pressure-packed, especially when the fans got on me for wearing a Mets uniform. I'm already signed up for Russia in 2003!"

Robb Bohn of the DC Metro MSBL Fairfax Knights was the pitching staff ace. "I've traveled all around the world and the China trip was easily the best trip I've ever been on, anywhere, anytime." stated Robb on his return home. "I climbed the Great Wall of China and an hour or two later I pitched against the Beijing Eagles. What a day! I hope to repeat the experience in Japan next summer."

Other MSBL players on the China trip included: John Geraffo of the Central North Carolina MSBL Mets, John Ihrig of Berry's 60+ of the San Diego MSBL, Howard Silverstein of the Los Angeles MSBL, Joe Maiden of the San Diego North County MSBL Veterans, and Livio Forte, Brian de Castro and Robert Siciliano of Northern Jersey MSBL.

Planned for 2003

Baseball International is already booking road trips to Russia, China, Japan, and Argentina in 2003. MSBL players have the opportunity of taking turnkey road trips to foreign lands and - in some countries - experiencing what baseball must have been like in the 1930's. Tourist programs for non-players also provide an opportunity for wives, family, and friends to take part in all of the activities and excitement. Trips range from $995 to $1695, excluding air fare. For details, log on to: www.BaseballInternational.com. Or, contact Baseball International directly by phone: (734) 276-6281; or e-mail: GM@Baseballinternational.com.