The Tokyo-American Baseball Team

The Tokyo-American Baseball Team Writing from Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 26, 1912, Klbert 1). Thomas, president of the Japanese Mission, says: "Perhaps the enclosed pictures will be of interest to the Era readers, as they show a phase of missionary experience that is a little out of the ordinary. The pictures are of some of our missionaries who are now or who have labored in Tokyo, and who are also members of an organization called 'The Tokyo-American Baseball Team.' This association has a membership of about thirty, all Americans, and was organized for the purpose of giving to its members a chance to obtain some out-door exercise. The team tries to play a game every Saturday afternoon, and never meets for practice or games except on that one day, during the spring and fall seasons. Its opponents are generally Japanese student or club teams, but its biggest rival is the YokohamaAmerican Team. Games are also played with sailors of the American navy, when the ships of the Asiatic squadron are visiting Yokohama: "The picture of Rev. Lloyd and Grant Ivins was taken on the Waseda University grounds just before a game with a team from that school. It will be remembered that it was a Waseda University team that was in America last year, and which defeated a team from the Utah State University, at Salt Lake City, last spring. "The Tokyo American-Waseda' game, the day this picture was taken, resulted in a tie — 5 to 5. "Waseda is one of the world's big schools; it has in all its departments nearly 10,000 students registered. Rev. E. C. Lloyd (right), missionary-teacher of the American Episcopal Church, pitcher; captain for 1911. H Grant Ivins (left), of Salt Lake City, catcher; elected captain for 1912.

664 IMPROVEMENT ERA "The Japanese are ideal sports, and are skilful, it is a pleasure to play with them. "During the last spring and fall the TokyoAmerican Team played eighteen games, winning nine, losing eight, and tying one. "The team is an 'All-American Team,' not because of its skilful players, but because its members come from, all over the United States. To illustrate this, the following schools have been represented in the line-up: University of Chicago, Oberlin, William and Mary, Berea, Michigan, Cornell, Bellevue, West Point, Hope College, University of Toronto, Utah Agricultural College, Brigham Young University of Provo, Latter-day Saints' University, and the University of Utah. "The team is also interesting from another standpoint. For instance, in a late line-up, there were a Baptist, an Episcopalian, a Presbyterian, a Quaker, a Methodist, and a "Mormon" missionary; a United States army officer, an attache of the American embassy, a secretary of the American embassy, and an American electrical engineer. All are the best of fellows. "Lester Chipman of American Fork, whose picture is not here, also played once on the team while he was in Tokyo for conference. "All are well in Japan." and, win or lose, ■ 1 JAY C. JENSEN Heber City, Utah, outfielder and first base. When he played on the team he was mission secretary. He is now presiding in the Osaka field. JAMES A. MILLER ^'urray, Utah. First Base and Outfielder. ELBERT D.THOMAS Salt Lake City, Infielder. ROBERT H. BARTON Kaysville, Utah Pitcher.