Marikina to host As-Pac Pony baseball

Marikina City will host the Philippine-Japan 50th Anniversary Celebration Sports Festival to be highlighted by the staging of three sports events beginning today up to Aug. 20 in this riverside city.

The festival of sports is organized by the Japan Pony Baseball Association, the Cities of Chiba and Yachimata of Japan and of the Philippine Tot Baseball Foundation, headed by Rodolfo "Boy" Tingzon Jr. and sponsored by Lotte Foods Corp., Yellow Cab and the PCSO.

First on the list is the Asia-Pacific Zone Pony Division Championship slated Aug. 2-5 at the Sto. Niño Baseball Grounds fronting the Marikina River.

The champion of the event, which will be participated in by 13-14 year old teams from Japan, Russia, Chinese Taipei and RP, will represent Asia in the annual Pony World Series set Aug. 14-20 in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Next is the Pacific Ocean Youth Baseball Cup, an annual tournament between cities in the Chiba Prefecture and Metro Manila for the last 24 years, slated Aug. 16-19.

Composed of 11-12 years old batters, squads from Marikina, Antipolo, Quezon City, Alabang and two from Yachimata City will compose the field in this sports and cultural exchange program.

Marikina will then host the inaugural Marikina-Yachimata Ground Golf Classic at the city’s Senior Citizens Center set Aug. 16-19.

The sport, which was primarily conceptualized for the elderly population, is now the favorite relaxation sport in the Chiba Prefecture.

Among the participants are Marikina, Alabang, Cabuyao, Laguna and foreign teams from Chiba and Yachimata City with the winner gaining automatic slot to the Chiba Ground Golf Open set in November in Chiba, Japan. — Joey Villar