Gift of gloves reignites dreams (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

Ryo Sato smiles as he tries on one of the gloves donated by young baseball players, in Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, on Saturday.

Jiro Kamiya and Naoki Nakazawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

HIGASHI-MATSUSHIMA, Miyagi--Dealing with the loss of his grandparents and home in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, a local youth almost gave up on baseball and his dream of playing in the national high school championships.

But baseball gloves donated by youth teams in the Hokuriku and Shikoku regions encouraged the teenager and his teammates--some of whom also lost their homes in the disaster--to play on and try to reach the championships at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture.

At a baseball ground in Higashi-Matsu-shima on Saturday morning, about 40 used gloves were handed out to local middle school students, including members of the Higashi-Matsushima Little Senior baseball team, which last year represented the Tohoku region in a national competition.

The young athletes were visibly excited to receive the gear. Ryo Sato, 15, a third-year student at Naruse No. 2 Middle School, stood still and smiled as he tried on his new glove.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110516004103.htm

[Blue_Tires]

1. Good to see

I started playing baseball again this year after a long time, and even though it has been a disaster so far, I've had fun for the most part:)