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October 12, 2008 3:39:53 PM CDT

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China's Ballplayers Prepare for First Olympics

Posted Jul 5, 08 11:19 AM CDT in World,  Sports 

(Newser) – China’s Olympic baseball team, under the guidance of an ex-Major League manager, has some hurdles to jump in its first Olympics. After Mao Zedong banned the Western sport in China, it never drew many fans–so the team uses second-rate facilities and generally faces overwhelming odds against other teams. But the big leagues have spent millions to push the sport in China’s huge market, the New York Times reports.

Former Seattle Mariners manager Mark Lefebvre heads to the country twice a year to help out the team, which makes annual US trips to play American teams. This year, its 22-9-2 record denotes marked improvement. “Our goal is not to become Olympic champions, but to play the game right,” Lefebvre says. “We just don’t want to be embarrassed out there, you know?”

Source New York Times

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A crowd watches as China plays Japan at a test event for the Olympics, in Beijing, Monday, Aug. 20, 2007.   (AP Photo/Greg Baker)
A Taiwan player, right, is caught by China Stars' Liu Guangbiao in his attempt to steal second in Tokyo, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007. The Chinese team will play in its first Olympics this year.   (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. attends a baseball beginner clinic for elementary school students at No.1 Dahushan Road Elementary School on Friday Nov. 2, 2007 in Shanghai, China.   (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, right, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stand together after they played catch with a baseball in Beijing Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007.   (AP Photo)
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