Sitting at the stands of the newly-built baseball field for the Beijing Olympic Games, Harvey Schiller, the president of the International Baseball Federation, told Xinhua News Agency in Beijing on Monday that he believed baseball can become a popular sport just like table tennis in China.

 

It was not the first time for him to visit the Wukesong Sports Center, however, Schiller said he was impressed by the well-built baseball fields for the 2007 Beijing International Baseball Tournament which run through August 18-23.

 

Schiller, who was elected the president of IBAF on late February in Beijing, said: "I'm very much satisfied with the decoration of each steps of the building."

 

"We're almost one year away from the Beijing Olympic Games. But the organizers have done a wonderful job and the volunteers are well-trained. They've done a great job."

 

Though China is a nation crazy for table tennis, Schiller believed baseball can be more popular with such great baseball fields.

 

"It's a very good chance for Chinese people to learn the sport from our tournament and Olympic Games. They will absolutely love it! Baseball is very popular in Asia, like in Japan, South Korea and also in Chinese Taipei...There is no reason why it is not popular here." said the IBAF president.

 

"The most important is to keep the stadium and bring more people to watch the games."

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)