Japan's First Female Pro-Baseball Player!

Nagoyankee · (#1 (**permalink**))

High school student to become 1st female pro baseball player
Sunday 16th November, 04:51 PM JST

OSAKA —
High school student Eri Yoshida was drafted by an independent league team Sunday, opening the way for her to become the first woman to play professional baseball alongside male players in Japan. The 16-year-old Yoshida, who attends Kawasaki Kita high school in Kanagawa Prefecture, was picked by the Kobe 9 Cruise in the seventh round of the amateur draft held by the teams joining the Kansai independent league to be inaugurated next April.

With a side-armed knuckleball in the core of her arsenal of pitches, Yoshida took part in a tryout held earlier this month and passed with flying colors. The right-hander held male batters hitless for one inning in the final tryout and her successful outing helped her become one of the 33 players picked in the draft. The four-team Kansai independent league also features the Osaka Gold Villicanes, Akashi Red Soldiers and Kishu Rangers.

© 2008 Kyodo News.

I was so amazed by this news today that I had to share it with you guys.
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Athefre · (#2 (**permalink**))

I think it's great that she gets to play along with the male players.

In the U.S. they separate gender in most sports.

Aniki · (#3 (**permalink**))

Interesting, I didn't know that females in Japan could play baseball alongside males.

M3M0 · (#4 (**permalink**))

awesome
ya me 2 i didnt no

well gd luck to her
thanx
cya tc

SSJup81 · (#5 (**permalink**))

I tell you this much, I'd actually go to a game if she was playing. I think it's great that she's playing with them. I read this story a while ago and was amazed over it. I just hope she doesn't have a difficult time from the other players.

Arikado · (#6 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSJup81

I tell you this much, I'd actually go to a game if she was playing. I think it's great that she's playing with them. I read this story a while ago and was amazed over it. I just hope she doesn't have a difficult time from the other players.

There's no doubt that some of the players will give her a difficult time, since there are always those who like to make trouble in these sorts of situations...but I'm happy for her that she made it at that young age too! Congratulations! ¦3

emiluvsjmusic · (#7 (**permalink**))

So she's the only girl in the whole league?
wow, good on her

I remember in Major (the anime) when Kaoru stopped playing in chuugaku, I think it was...
it sucked

kyo_9 · (#8 (**permalink**))

she's frequently appears in the television lately..

OddyStrix · (#9 (**permalink**))

i think it's pretty rad she's playing alongside the guys

aznvogue · (#10 (**permalink**))

Thats cool, can't wait to see and hear about how well she does.