Baseball dreams really have come true for China.
Now that the dust has settled from the 23rd Asian Baseball Championship it is time to reflect on the enormity of the accomplishments of the China National Baseball Team in capturing the bronze medal in Miyazaki.
It has been 144 years since the game of baseball was imported to Chinese shores, landing in Shanghai. During all those years China has never tasted victory against one of the "Big Three" (Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei) in international competition. When Jia Yubing reeled in the final fly ball out in the thrilling 4-3 victory over South Korea, those in attendance could almost feel the giant "monkey on the back" of the China team swinging to another branch.
"No question the victory has sent a message to every baseball playing nation that China has now cracked through to the top level of Asian baseball," said coach Jim Lefebvre, who played on the Major League Baseball World Series championship team the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"Certainly one win does not mean that there is not a lot of work left to be done. However, our players know that they can beat the top teams."
How did China all of a sudden jump to this elite level of diamond play?
One has to look at what has been going on in China over the last few years to fully appreciate the efforts that were necessary to dramatically improve the results on the field. At the top of the list is the commitment that Multi-Ball Centre and the China Baseball Association have made to improving the sport as a whole in China.
"Back in 2002 we sat down and decided that a new aggressive approach to development of our players was in order. Our young players just did not have enough opportunity to play baseball outside of the international competitions," said Hu Jianguo, Director-General of the Multi-Ball Centre.
Out of the planning process evolved the China Baseball League (CBL), supported by exclusive marketing partner Dynasty Sports Marketing and a stable of strong international sponsors. Those players who are now participating in the national team have, over the past four years, enjoyed the opportunity of competing in league play to the tune of more than thirty games each per season.
Describing the new baseball culture, long-time national team player Sun Lingfeng, who played his part in Miyazaki crashing out seven hits while reeking havoc on the base paths, said: "There is no substitute for playing games. In the past players trained long and hard, but without regular competition to measure your skills. It is very difficult to all of a sudden go into a high-level international tournament and expect to be successful. The CBL gives us the opportunity to improve."
The next big piece in the baseball puzzle was to reach out to international baseball partners for co-operation to provide expert guidance in the areas of coaching concepts and training opportunities.
In 2003 Major League Baseball (USA), the premier global baseball league, answered the call. After lengthy discussions the CBA and MLB signed a long-term co-operation agreement that would address the needs for development of the China's National Team. Among the key points of the agreement were that MLB would arrange training in Arizona at an MLB club training facility (Seattle Mariners stepped forward and offered their world-class facility).
"It was like arriving in baseball heaven. So many green, grass fields to go along with a great fitness centre. Walking into the MLB locker room with our names above our own locker, all of us got an immediate rush of pride and energy that put our minds onto a different platform regarding where we might be able to take baseball in China," reminisced slugging catcher Wang Wei of the two-times defending CBL champion Beijing Tigers.
Just like being provided a horse and not knowing how to ride it, the facilities were great but without the leader to show the players how to improve it meant little. MLB solved that problem by enlisting two of MLB's finest in Jim Lefebvre (head coach and batting instructor) and Bruce Hurst (pitching coach) to lead the troops.
"We listened to the CBA and recognized that we needed to find the right types of coaches who had the experience and were teachers. Jim and Bruce have proven to be a great fit. The results of the national team are the proof of the pudding," said Ed Burns, vice-president of MLB.
So the stage was set for a breakthrough effort in Miyazaki. Could the China National Team put all the pieces together and translate their gruelling practice efforts into the thrill of victory? Actually there were two goals for the squad going into the championship. One victory in the preliminary round would qualify the team for the 2005 World Cup later this year in Holland; a medal-round win would be the icing on the cake.
Team captain Zhang Yufeng (Shanghai Eagles) had his take on the pending challenge. "We felt we had put in the work and were ready to challenge the best. The pressure was there on all of us, but once the games start you leave the pressure on the sidelines and let your instincts take over. Baseball being a team game it is also very important to have confidence in your teammates and coaches."
Zhang certainly followed his own advice during the three games as he hit a whopping .556 including a monstrous bronze-game winning two-run home run. "That was a major league homer in a big league pressure situation with his nation's fortune in the balance," exclaimed a beaming Lefebvre.
Any baseball enthusiast will tell you that hitting is important, but pitching is 90 per cent of a baseball game. If you cannot keep your opponent from scoring then your chances for victory are remote at best. While some may say that China is still a little "short of arms," during this championship, the "pitching by committee" worked just fine.
"Our kids have the potential to compete. No question arm strength is still not where we want it over the long-term, but this week our pitchers delivered in the clutch. Who could ask for more," said pitching coach Hurst, no stranger to winning games having enjoyed a brilliant pitching career mostly with the Boston Red Sox.
After a brief one-inning shutout mop up effort against Japan the previous day, Wang took the Chinese team on his wide shoulders against South Korea and turned in a pitching performance for the ages. Asked before the game by Hurst how long he could pitch if called upon, Wang pointed to the letters CHINA across the front of his jersey and quietly responded, "I am pitching for my country. I can go as long as you need me. We are here to win."
Well pitch he did! With China nursing a fragile one-run lead after four innings, Wang got the call and went to work dazzling the Korean batters with a combination of speed and pitch placement. Through four innings Wang had allowed one hit and only two base runners. When it came time for the ninth and final inning, Hurst looked at Wang and simply remarked, "Can you give us one more inning? Wang glanced at his American mentor and gave a confident nod that everything was fine and strolled to the mound to finish the job. Three batters later pandemonium erupted on the field as Wang had set down Korea and China had entered the history books with their first Asian and international medal in the Olympic sport of baseball.
In the post-game ceremonies a huge roar went up when the championship organizers announced the name of China's Wang Nan as Most Valuable Pitcher of the 23rd Asian Baseball Championship.
So now it is back to work for the "little red engine that could" with the CBL moving into the last half of the season, followed by National Team training trips to Japan and Italy later this summer, before the next big challenge, the 2005 World Cup. Fifteen national teams await this band of baseball brothers from the Chinese mainland. The goal is in place.
"We would like to believe that we have a chance to finish in the top eight. It will be a big challenge. Playing against the best is a great opportunity. We are proud of these players and have every confidence that wherever China finishes, our players will have given their best," pronounced China's baseball supremo Hu.
In 2008 the National Team will make history by playing in the Olympics for the first time. Three more years of hard work await this talented group, but after what was accomplished in Miyazaki, there is now a different, more confident feeling about Chinese baseball. With dreams now turning to reality, just maybe in front of the cheering crowds of Beijing, another miracle awaits.
(China Daily June 1, 2005)
