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US woos China with baseball diplomacy
2007-08-14
In yet another bid to enhance ties through sports diplomacy, the United States is sending its baseball "iron man" to China to promote America's popular game in the world's most populous nation. Hall of Famer Cal Ripken was on Monday named by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as a special sports envoy for the State Department as part of efforts to improve the United States' image abroad. His first stop, in October, will be China, where the people are more comfortable flicking a ping pong paddle than swinging a baseball bat. "Baseball is America's national pastime, a sport that truly defines American culture. It is only fitting that the face of our national pastime would be one of the faces that America shows the world as our next public diplomacy envoy," Rice said at Ripken's appointment ceremony. She called him "the real-life iron man." The only other special US sports envoy appointed by the administration of President George W. Bush was American-Chinese Michelle Kwan, a five-time world figure skating champion. She has already traveled to China and Russia on missions aimed at bridging cultural differences between the global powers. "She's not only a superstar athlete, but also a humble and gracious young woman and it was inspiring to watch the young people of China relate to her," said Karen Hughes, Bush's public diplomacy czar. Hughes hoped the Chinese would also be swooned by Ripken, known for his record-breaking streak of playing in 2,632 consecutive major league games. Ripken is looking forward to his China stint. "I happen to think that sport -- baseball, in particular -- is very magical. It can go across cultural lines," said the bald 46-year old icon, who is already hosting 12 Chinese visitors at his baseball academy in Maryland state. "So the second step is to go to China ... And I'll assist them in planting those seeds, going to schools, or teaching clinics," he said. Donning sports attire, the potential 12 Chinese baseball coaches sat on the front row and led the audience in applauding Ripken as Rice named him special envoy at the ceremony at the State Department. "This has been a wonderful experience -- having them over here learn baseball and watching them participate in some of our drills, and their spirit and their enthusiasm really elevated the kids at the camp," Ripken said. "So I can't wait to get to China to see how baseball is received, you know, the spirit in which they exhibited in our camps, I'm anticipating in China." Although China was the first Asian nation where baseball was played in the 1800s, the game fizzled out during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, reports say. Unlike neighbors Japan and Taiwan, where baseball is very popular, the game has not caught up again in China. The United States is using sports, culture and education as part of softpower diplomacy to contain its sagging popularity across the globe following the unpopular decision to invade Iraq in 2003. It sent a wrestling team to arch enemy Iran and welcomed baseball players and coaches from another rival closer home, Venezuela. "Public diplomacy cannot be an American monologue; it must be a dialog with people from around the world," Rice said. "That dialog must be sought out and conducted, not only by people like us in government, but by committed Americans from all walks of life, Americans like Cal Ripken, Jr.," she said.
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