Sidearm knuckler Eri Yoshida likely to pitch on 24 Mar
Posted by japanstats on 2009 March 13日 Friday
17 year old high school student, sidearm knuckleballer, and the first female Japanese professional baseball player Eri Yoshida is likely to see her first game action in the pre-season game for her Kobe 9Cruise on the road against the Kishu Rangers at the Kimiidera Stadium in Wakayama scheduled on March 24. Manager of Kobe, Yoshihiro Nakata, had mentioned that he wanted to test Eri in a game in the latter half of March, and this recently scheduled match against Kishu fits the bill.
He’s also declared that Eri will pitch in the season opener on the 27th, this seems kinda gimmicky but it’s the independent Kansai League’s first year, so whatever gets the press eh. The season opener will be against the Osaka Villicanes at the sure to be cavernous for indie ball Kyocera Dome (!) at 18:15.
simoncurrie said
In the mean time, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch in a Buffaloes – BayStars game in Yokohama, her home town.
http://hamanchu.blogspot.com/2009/03/knuckleball-princess-causes-quite.html
Matt said
Wow, she looks so tiny…lol
It’d be really cool if she ended up pitching for either Seibu or Yokohama one day.