RP clouters face baseball’s finest

When the Philippines competes in the XXXIV World Cup of baseball, it will not only be for the purpose of honoring a commitment but to project its image as one of the best baseball-playing countries in the world as well.

The Philippines has been invited for the first time since the World Cup’s first staging in 1938 on the strength of its No. 5 ranking in Asia and its being the winner of Asia Cup, a tournament for International Baseball Federation member countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East.

It is one of only four Asian countries that will see action in the 16-team field along with Japan, South Korea and Chinese Taipei in this 2001 edition of the series scheduled Nov. 6-18 in Taipei.

"Having been invited to this prestigious tournament is already an honor because it only indicates the International Baseball Federation’s recognition to our being one of the 16 baseball-playing countries in the world today," Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president Hector Navasero said.

The Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., he said, is partially funding the country’s participation, having put in P500,000 for the national's participation.

The Filipino clouters have been bracketed in Group B along with their counterparts from Japan, Australia, Canada, Cuba, the Netherlands, Panama and Russia that will play in the northern city of Kaoshiung north of Taipei.

Those seeing action in Group A in Taipei are the Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Korea, Nicaragua, South Africa, the United States and host Chinese Taipei.