Although football has since taken the top spot, baseball was once known as America’s favorite past time. While it still ranks as one of the top three sports in the US, East Asian countries have also taken a keen interest in the sport. Chinese, South Korean and Japanese national teams almost always have a strong showing during the Summer Olympics, and in 2006, the Japanese team took home the title in the first ever World Baseball Classics (S. Korea placed third). The sport is played year round in several countries, representing various skill levels, from children’s league through major league. 
While Okinawa does not have any professional teams, it does play host to several professional teams that make the southern trek during the off-season. Spring training in Okinawa is very popular mainly due to the island’s warm temperature and its close proximity to mainland Japan. This past weekend the Chunichi Dragons played a practice game against the LG Twins, a professional baseball team from Korea. The game ended 2-1 in favor of the Dragons but was called in the 8th inning so the teams could begin other drills.
Another interesting aspect of spring training is watching people as they patiently wait for autographs from their favorite players. I like to blend into the crowd and snap away at the shutter, capturing various facial expressions. Maybe I'll post a few more in a seperate entry. By the way, I will soon be vacationing in Thailand for 10 days so you may see some posts from there as well. Wish me luck!
