August 3, 2009

Johns Hopkins’ baseball field is meeting ground for Sister Cities teams

Baltimore and Kawasaki compete on Homewood diamond

Johns Hopkins hosted a baseball clash of East vs. West on July 28 as a youth team from Kawasaki, Japan, faced off against a 15-and-under All-Star team from Baltimore.

The friendly matchup, held on the  Homewood campus, was part of a two-game series to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sister Cities program between Baltimore and its Japanese counterpart. The first game was played on July 26 at the Gilman School.

 

(Photos by HIPS / JAY VANRENSSELAER. Click to see larger.)

Twenty years ago, for the 10th anniversary of the Sister Cities pairing, Baltimore students traveled to Kawasaki for a two-week program that also involved exhibition baseball games.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon threw out the first pitch on the warm, humid day that brought out a sizable crowd of thunderstick-banging supporters. Before the game, the players exchanged gifts and posed for a group photo that included the mayor and a contingent from Kawasaki.

Steve Duncan, assistant coach for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays baseball team, managed the Baltimore squad, which included players from various city youth league teams and Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks programs.

Despite the strong show of support for the hometown team, Kawasaki won the game 17-1 to sweep both ends of the series.