Posted on 06/15/2004 6:27:27 AM PDT by ConservativeMajority
(Talon News) -- While politicians and diplomats are busy exporting democracy to Iraq, a group of citizens is sending the America's national pastime to children of the newly liberated country.
Corporal Bryan Post, stationed in Iraq with the First Marine Division, is coordinating the Iraqi Baseball Project (IBP). He and his fellow Marines will devote their spare time to teaching Iraqi children the game of baseball. It is one of the many little-known efforts to win the hearts and minds of the long-suffering Iraqis.
Volunteers are collecting new and used baseball equipment for shipment overseas.
Bob Taylor, a former Marine who saw active duty in Lebanon in the late 1950s and several other hotspots, is spearheading the stateside effort. He is the author of "A Few Good Memories," a light-hearted collection of Marine Corps boot camp stories.
The IBP has expanded its scope to other sports beside baseball. Equipment is being collected for softball, soccer, and football as well. Taylor said the first shipment left the United States on Monday with others to follow.
The IBP is a completely non-profit effort, with funds being collected to pay for shipping expenses and equipment purchases. Contact information is available online at www.caironet.com/Iraqi-Baseball
Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.
Do you have any contact info for this program?
Contact information is available online at www.caironet.com/Iraqi-Baseball
Montreal Expos are looking for a new home....
Haven't Iraqis suffered enough?
It could be worse, it could be golf.
There is still a baseball team in Montreal???
Isn't soccer the predominant team sport in that region? Somehow, I doubt the Iraqis are going to take up with a game as slow and boring as baseball.
Hopefully, the DH and artificial turf make their way to Iraq... of course, the NL still needs to adopt the DH, and teams seem to be running away from artificial turf.
WTF?
It's bad enough you're for the DH rule....but you like artificial turf too ?!?!?
Can't wait for them to learn the "suicide squeeze" play.
Yeah... I like the DH and artificial turf.
The latter works in domed stadiums. I had a doubleheader I had tickets to cancelled a week ago Saturday because of rain.
Rainouts are EVIL.
Besides, the ball goes faster on artificial turf - more chance for doubles and triples as opposed to singles.
Well, hey--it worked in Japan.
Perhaps someday I will see the Baghdad Giants play in Bush Stadium. :)
I watch baseball for exactly seven games, if it goes that far, a year.
The team I root for depends on who has pi$$ed me off politically. :-)
This is cruel and unusual punishment.
NOTHING on earth is as BORING as watching baseball on TV or listening to it on the radio.
Too many Americans are glued to their televisions during "Superbowl" Sunday or the World Series to watch a bunch of vile, overpaid, mentally challenged morons play these idiotic games.
What we should do is introduce Baseball to Iran and wait until they hold their "World Series". If they become as addicted to this idotic sport as some Americans are, that would be the best time to attack them. A lot of the men would have their brains plastered to the local television set.
The latter works in domed stadiums. I had a doubleheader I had tickets to cancelled a week ago Saturday because of rain.
Rainouts are EVIL.
Besides, the ball goes faster on artificial turf - more chance for doubles and triples as opposed to singles.
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I understand putting carpet in domed stadiums, but it was a travesty putting it down in Riverfront and Three Rivers.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I was mainly just messin' with ya anyway.
Hopefully, the DH and artificial turf make their way to Iraq... of course, the NL still needs to adopt the DH, and teams seem to be running away from artificial turf.
Them's fightin' words, hutch.
The DH took the strategy out of baseball, and artificial turf is somewhere akin to National Socialism as a benefit to humanity. Importing these two atrocities to Iraq? You might as well bring Saddam back, and Uday and Qusay to boot.
No "DH" in the National League, thank you.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
I hate rainouts... so I do favor domed stadiums (or at least a retractable roof). That would indicate artifical turf. :)
Grass can be maintained to play fast. Imagine an infield like the greens at Augusta.
Some teams prefer their infield grass high with the purposeful intention of slowing down ground balls. I've never understood that.
Now, I would think that comparing the DH and artificial turf to Saddam Hussein's regime is going a bit too far...
The DH and artificial turf haven't KILLED people, have they? Or put them in an iron maiden. Or raped them...
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