Team „Europe“ with first Practice in Tokyo / First Pictures

On Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11, World No. 1 Samurai Japan will take on a team of European players in a pair of exhibition games at the Tokyo Dome. The Global Baseball Matchup is going to be broadcasted live throughout Europe by Eurosport 2 at 10am CET.

The first ever Team Europe arrived in Japan on Wednesday and got its jerseys and equipment from Asics. The first full day was Thursday, which the entire team used for a first workout, which included base running, batting practice and bullpen sessions to get rid of the jetlag. Japanese media is showing major interest in Team Europe, following every step of the players.

Afterwards some of the 28-player roster visited the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. In the evening a couple of embassies held a reception for the players and coaches. This was just the kickoff for several busy days for the European delegation in Tokyo. Baseball clinics with kids, school and hospital visits, more workouts and a scrimmage against minor leaguers of the Yomiuri Giants will be on the schedule until the big games next week.

Team Europe, which was selected by Dutch manager Steve Janssen and Italy’s Marco Mazzieri, includes 14 players from the Netherlands, six from Italy, four from Spain, two from Germany and one each from the Czech Republic and France. The Global Baseball Matchup has been organized on the initiative by the World Baseball Softball Confederation as well as Nippon Professional Baseball.

Photos by WBSC, Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg, Mainz Athletics, French Baseball and Softball Federation and Ineke van de Pol, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Tokyo