Russian baseball team takes aim at Olympics
Published 26 July, 2007, 06:51
This year marks the 20th anniversary of baseball in Russia, and its top team is celebrating and training – in the United States. They're preparing for the European Championships in September, which also acts as a qualifying tournament for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Lake Placid, NY is the place of one of the most famous losses in sports history. The world was stunned when the U.S. national ice hockey team beat the USSR in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
With Olympic history in the air, the Russian national baseball team wants to make a little history of their own by gaining a berth to play in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Second baseman Aleksandr Nizov, who has already made history by gifting his Jersey to the national baseball Hall of Fame, believes it can be done: “There are many issues we need to take care of, but I believe we have a good chance.”
He is one of eleven players from the former Soviet Union who have signed minor league baseball contracts to play in the U.S. Nizov spent the 1997 and 1998 seasons in the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Muscovite Aleksandr Toropov, a six-foot-eight centerfielder and former right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers minor league system during the late 90's, is also part of the team's veteran roster. “I think every team dreams of making it to the Olympics. Every athlete has a chance to make it to the games. It will be hard, but I think we have to try and do our best,” Aleksandr says.
And according to coach, Dmitry Shlyapnikov, there will be various components to Russia's success: “You can teach a person to bat, to catch, but if he's mentally unprepared to play baseball, then nothing will come easily.”
Aleksandr Maksyakov, a 21-year-old outfielder, who proudly warms up in his team hat and shirt hopes he can contribute to the team's main goal: “I will put all my effort into helping my team achieve the place it deserves and show we can compete on a high level,” he promises.
In the vast green ‘fields of dreams’ the Russian players are trying to make their Olympic dream come true.
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