Five young Fiji Baseball players are currently attending the 30th World Children’s Baseball Foundation – Fair which is being held in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

The five players come from strong baseball family backgrounds which consist of two players from the Eagles Baseball Club in Raiwai two from the Nadonumai Marines Club in Lami and one from the Central Hummingbirds Club.

The prestigious fair was founded in 1989 by home-run kings and Hall of Fame Sadaharu Oh and Hank Aaron, along with Dr. Akiko Agishi. The mission of the organization is “to share the dream of friendship and teamwork with the children of the world and to sow the seeds of that dream through an international baseball fair for him, hanging out with the other kids and also developing skills and meeting “like-minded people”

The Eagles baseball players are Litin Lee who attends Veiuto Primary and Teitiaki Randolph who attends Arya Samaj Primary, the Nadonumai players are Sakaia Tauvoli and Isoa Toduadua who both attend Suva Methodist Primary and the fifth player is Ronald Niubalavu who attends Stella Maris Primary.

The Fiji Islands Baseball & Softball Association (FIBSA) selected the five players from its development initiative who were actively engaged in our programs over the years. The WCBF aims to foster a love for baseball, teamwork, and friendship among young players from around the world. Participants will enjoy morning baseball clinics, led by coaches selected by the World Baseball Softball Confederation, emphasizing the basic skills of the game in a fun and participatory environment. Beyond the field, the event is a celebration of cultural diversity, with children engaging in a variety of cultural and recreational activities each afternoon and evening, including a homestay experience in one of nine cities.

Fiji Baseball Development officer who is travelling with the team said: “This is a unique opportunity for some of our young baseball stars and promises to be a life-changing experience. Additionally, we are thrilled with the international relationships we have built with Japanese Baseball over the years, which is arguably the top baseball country in the world.”

For this year only, the children will be divided into nine cities for a few days. They will participate in baseball clinics and stay with host families. The participants will attend morning baseball clinics instructed by coaches who are selected by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).