Japan's baseball legend Sadaharu Oh unveiled to the WBSC Congress on Thursday that the World Children's Baseball Fair will be a girls edition only in 2020.
Oh, who holds the world lifetime home run record, having hit 868 home runs during his professional career, then announced the goal of the World Children's Baseball Fair Foundation for 2020. "We will invite to Narita City, in association with WBSC, 50 girls from 10 countries and regions: Canada, France, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Japan, Peru, Ireland, Indonesia, USA and Korea".
The clinic will be hosted by the Japan Amateur Baseball Association and will have the support of the Japanese Government. The Baseball Federation of Japan, the All Japan University Baseball Federation, Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball will offer their cooperation.
The Girl's Baseball Clinic will also involve 30 Japanese players. It will include cultural and recreational activities. "The Olympics will happen in the same month of August in Tokyo, so 2020 is going to be a very special year for baseball and softball in Japan," commented Oh.
The World Children Baseball Fair was established in August 1992. "The American Baseball superstar Hank Aaron and I met at a home run contest," said Oh through an interpreter. "I beat him. We then performed together on a commercial and we became good friends. We agreed to cooperate with each other to introduce baseball to the younger generation. The sport had given each of us such wonderful experiences. This was the start of the World Children's Baseball Fair."
"My first idea was to hold small baseball clinics for the children. The Fair has greatly exceeded my imagination, becoming an international event."
Over 200 boys and girls from more than 20 nations or regions are invited to each Fair.
"We invite kids that are 10, 11 years old. Maybe they will be important players, maybe not," said Oh. "They come here from other countries and they experience Japan. It's a great learning experience. They will understand that where they live is not the whole world."
"The point," added Oh, "is not to teach these children how to win. The point is to have them enjoy baseball, have fun. Through baseball, they can learn how important is to exercise, for their body and their mind."
On a final note, Sadaharu Oh congratulated WBSC for the success of the second Premier12.