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Saturday, April 22, 2000
U.S.-Japan
By Al Chase
all-star series to
open at UH stadium
Star-BulletinThe first two games of the 29th annual United States vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star baseball series will be played at the University of Hawaii's Rainbow Stadium.
The games are scheduled for June 25 and 27 with a 7 p.m. start.
"Paul Seilar, our CEO, talked with the Japanese officials about this after last year's series," said Steve Cohen, USA Baseball director of national teams. "He thought it would be really nice to start the series in Hawaii. It's our turn to host and what better place to start the series."
It is the first time games in the series will be played here.
The final three games will be played at Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Phoenix and Tucson.
The USA-Japan series and a season-ending trip to Haarlem, The Netherlands, for the Honkball Tournament, highlight the 29-game USA summer schedule.
Don Takaki, general manager of the Hawaii Island Movers, is handling the local arrangements.
He said there is a good possibility one of the dates would become a doubleheader with the Movers playing an Alaska Baseball League game against the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the opener.
Ticket prices and the USA roster will be available later.
Justin Wayne (Punahou, Stanford) and Keoni DeRenne (Iolani, Arizona) were standouts on the USA team last summer.
An invitation was extended to Shane Komine to try out for the team this year. But Cohen said Komine declined because of back problems that cut short his freshman season at Nebraska.
The right-hander, who is having an outstanding sophomore season for the Cornhuskers, played his high school ball for Kalani.
