The Pakistan Federation Baseball (PFB) is promoting the sport in Gilgit-Baltistan. Formerly known as the Northern Areas, the region is administered by Pakistan as an administrative territory, and constitutes the northern portion of Kashmir. It's a top-rated destination for tourists willing to see the K2 mountain.
Four teams will compete in the inaugural Gilgit-Baltistan inter-district baseball championship on 29 and 30 October in Skardu. The city, the largest in Gilgit-Baltistan, is located at the confluence of the Indus and Shigar Rivers at an elevation of 2,228 metres (approximately 7,310 feet).
A press release by PBF states that Coors Field in Denver (Colorado, USA) was previously known as the baseball location at the highest altitude: 1,564 metres (5,130 feet).
Baseball venues in Mexico City, including the new 19,000-seat Alfredo Harp Helù, are at a higher altitude than Denver.
The baseball stadium located at the highest altitude is actually the 2,700-seat Estadio Distrital Hermes Barros Cabas in Bogotà. The capital city of Colombia has an altitude of 2,640 meters, approximately 8,661 feet.
The PFB will then open a National Baseball Academy in Skardu on 31 October.
Skardu will host on the same day an exhibition game featuring the best players in Pakistan, split into two sides, Pakistan Green and Pakistan White.
Gilgit, the capital city of Gilgit-Baltistan, will host a second exhibition on 3 November.
The PFB will close the baseball promotional tour with a course for Level-1 baseball coaches on 3 and 4 November in Gilgit.
PFB leaders have been aggressively trying to grow the game in their country, with new fields, academies and other development-focused activities.
Pakistan is currently 27th of more than 80 countries and territories featured in the WBSC Baseball World Rankings.
