(OMAHA, Neb.) – USA Baseball and the Omaha Sports Commission announced today that the 2010 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars will play in a one-game, international friendship competition in Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium on July 21, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. CT.
The game will feature the best collegiate players from two of the top baseball-playing nations in the world, bringing some of sport’s brightest young stars to the long-recognized home of college baseball in the United States. Alumni of the U.S. Collegiate National Team since 2000 include MLB All-Stars Ryan Howard, Dustin Pedroia and Mark Teixeira, as well as up-and-coming stars like David Price, Stephen Strasburg and Matt Weiters.
“When you think of college baseball, you think of Omaha, and specifically Rosenblatt Stadium,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. “It is only fitting that Rosenblatt play host to a game featuring teams made up of some of the best collegiate players in the world. We are honored to participate in this historic event.”
The U.S. and Japan have long shared a close, competitive baseball relationship at the collegiate level. The two nations have participated in a semi-annual international Collegiate All-Star Series since 1972, alternating each series as the event’s host. Neither team, however, whether playing against each other or in other competitions, has ever competed in a sanctioned international event in Omaha.
“You will not find any more passionate baseball fans in the country than here in Omaha, as we have demonstrated through our long-standing support for the NCAA College World Series,” said Harold Cliff, president of the Omaha Sports Commission. “We expect tremendous fan interest for the 2010 USA Baseball/Japan game in Omaha, and hope to build on this first year experience and offer even more international baseball competition in future years.”
USA Baseball also announced Tuesday that 1995-96 Collegiate National Team alum and 1996 College World Series hero Warren Morris will be an honorary captain for the 2010 U.S. Collegiate Team. Morris hit a walk-off home run against Miami in the ninth inning to give Louisiana State a 9-8 win and the title in 1996. He was voted Most Valuable Player of the U.S./Japan series while with Team USA in 1995, and in 1996, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team, Morris helped lead his club to a bronze medal (the Collegiate National Team represented the United States in the baseball competition at the Atlanta Olympic Games).
Both the U.S. and Japan will depart Omaha for Taiwan following the competition to compete in the FISU World Championships in Tokyo. The U.S. has won the last three FISU World Championships (2004, ’06, ’08), while host nation Japan will be looking for its first title.
Tickets to the game will go on sale, Monday, April 12th at 9 am central time through ETIX. ETIX tickets are available at https://www.etix.com/ticket/servlet/onlineSale?action=selectPerformance&performance_id=1224721 or 1-800-514-ETIX (3849). If you are in the Omaha area you may also purchase tickets through the Omaha Royal’s box office.
