2023/11/01 / Last updated : 2023/11/01 東京支店 blog

A FORMER PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER FROM JAPAN IS WORKING TO SPREAD THE POPULARITY OF BASEBALL TO SOUTHEAST ASIA

Mr. Shibata retired from active duty in 2014. He is involved in baseball promotion activities mainly in the Philippines.

Former professional baseball player Shogo Shibata: “I think there are few children in the Philippines and Southeast Asia who have dreams, so I wanted to use baseball to give them an awareness that they can have dreams.”

The participants in this baseball class are mainly children from the slums of the Philippines. Since 2012, activities have been carried out by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and Industry to encourage children who are unable to continue attending school due to poverty and have no goals for the future to use baseball as an opportunity to pursue new dreams.

In the Philippines, it is said that over 100 children have received sports scholarships through baseball and have gone on to university. Although it was temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus, baseball classes were held on-site this year for the first time in four years, led by Mr. Shibata.

Baseball promotion activities that also support children in slums. So far, we have mainly focused on the Philippines, but from now on we plan to expand to Indonesia as well. I want children struggling with poverty to have dreams just like Japanese high school baseball players aspire to Koshien. Mr. Shibata’s current dream is to hold an “Asia Koshien” for Southeast Asian countries.

Former professional baseball player Shogo Shibata: “Korea, China, and Taiwan have already reached a certain level of excellence, and I think Southeast Asia is a country that will lead to the future, so it would be great if there were children or countries that could follow in their footsteps.” That’s why I continue to provide support.”