Skip Rozin had it right when he said, “Guam — Baseball Diamond in the Rough.” I totally feel him on this. Think about all the other island countries that send their players to the MLB. It’s great that Skip highlighted Guam’s son, John Hattig, in the Wall Street Journal. I think Skip’s right. Baseball on Guam can develop.
It’s puzzling given Guam’s American ties — it is a U.S. territory, host to a Naval and an Air Force base — and its conditions ideal for baseball: perpetual summer and residents who crave the outdoors. Yet despite the fact that Guam has been playing baseball for more than a century, most locals instead choose to pursue outrigger-canoe racing, soccer, and diving in the crystal-clear Pacific waters, or relaxing at day-long barbecues.
I think the move of the Marines and other forces to Guam will definitely increase the visibility of the sport.
