Japanese Baseball Drafts Woman Player

This is really near and dear to my heart as I took Japanese in college and spent a lot of focus on Japanese Baseball. I find the dedication to the team and the way the game is played so fascinating. You gotta have Wa, is a must read... especially if you want to know anything about Japan. So it is that hat and my feminist hat that I was so pleased by feminist.org's headline: Professional Japanese Baseball League Drafts First Woman Player Sixteen-year-old pitcher Eri Yoshida became the first woman to be drafted by a professional Japanese baseball league this week. Negotiations are still being made, but Yoshida could become the first woman to share the field with professional male players, breaking a huge barrier for female athletes. According to Fox News, Yoshida, who began playing baseball in second grade, said in a news conference, "I want to pitch against men." Known for her knuckleball, Yoshida pitched to eight batters in her November tryouts without giving up one hit. It was only about 10 years ago that Japanese women were allowed to join little league teams other than softball. Yoshida's recruitment has been met with skepticism, but opens a new door for aspiring women professional athletes. This is great news for the future of sports and our societies. It is time we give equal access. RSS