Pittsburgh Pirates interested in Japanese star Shohei Otani.

Via Japan Times.

The latest reports have Japanese pitcher Shohei Otani (大谷 翔平) leaving Japan after this season and joining a Major League team in 2018, with Pittsburgh able to offer him one of the largest initial signing bonuses. Pittsburgh was one of 13 teams scouting Otani in August, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Pittsburgh has had three Japanese players on its roster before---39-year-old pitcher Masumi Kuwata in 2007, infielder Akinori Iwamura in 2010, and relief pitcher Hisanori Takahashi in 2012---but has never signed a young Japanese player in the peak of his career.

Taolu For Tots fundraiser for Children's Hospital, September 30 and October 1 at Pitt.

The Pitt Wushu club will host Taolu For Tots, a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, on September 30 and October 1 at the University of Pittsburgh's William Pitt Union.

Have you always wanted to try wushu, but never seemed to have the time? Afraid that your inflexibility will keep you from being a Kung fu master? Want to do something fun for the whole club?

Never fear! Pitt Wushu is hosting TAOLU FOR TOTS, a joint charity workshop for which the entry "fee" is a donation to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh: a new, unused stuffed animal or children's toy. The team that brings the most donations wins a special prize!

Bring your student organization for a fun day of Chinese martial arts, team-bonding, and all for a great cause.

Workshops include taichi, Drunken Fist, and other super fun things! Come for Saturday morning, afternoon, or Sunday-- or come for as many as you can make!

The required registration is done online.

Korean cyclists raising awareness of "comfort women" in US bike tour pass through Pittsburgh.

via 3A Project.

Two Korean university students are biking across the US to raise awareness of "comfort women", the euphemism for sex slaves used by the Japanese military during World War II. Today's Pittsburgh City-Paper has a profile.

“We want to raise this issue in the U.S. because the U.S. is the center of the media world,” said Young. “We don’t want to see this tragedy in any other [country].”

According to a June NBC News profile, Ha Joo-Young is a 25-year-old student from Kyung Hee University and Jo Yong-Joo is a 21-year-old from Yonsei University.

Western Pennsylvania welcomes Japanese baseball players to the Freeport International Baseball Invitational.

by Jack Fordyce of the Tribune-Review.

With only four players from overseas, this year's Freeport International Baseball Invitational isn't very international this year. Nevertheless the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review profiles today the two Japanese collegiate athletes who make up half of the international contingent:

Outside of the noisy bus, Ito is enjoying his trip, taking in new experiences big and small surrounding him.

Even the insects.

“It is the first time I've ever seen lightning bugs,” Ito said. “They are pretty cool to see.”

Post-Gazette profiles Robert Morris women's basketball recruit Honoka Ikematsu, first Japanese player in program history.

via @rmuwbasketball.

Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette features a profile of Honoka Ikematsu, an 18-year-old Japanese woman who is among the latest recruits to the Robert Morris University women's basketball team.

In Honoka Ikematsu, a native of Kumamoto, Japan, [assistant coach Asami] Morita found a player who wanted to compete at a college program in the United States. She also found a player whose skills could transfer across the Pacific Ocean.

Of the numerous differences between Japanese and American women’s basketball, the most significant are the shooting styles. Japanese women’s basketball guards shoot with two hands, similar to a set shot, with a slow release. It’s often accurate, Buscaglia said, but would be easily defended in an American basketball game.

“A lot of players that you would bring over here, you would have to re-teach them how to shoot or you would have to live with the way they shoot the ball,” Buscaglia said.

Concerns of Ikematsu’s ability to learn the American shooting style — using one hand as a guide, and a second hand to push the ball — were eased when they saw film of her scrimmaging with Seattle-based AAU program Emerald City Basketball Academy. Ikematsu already had the American shooting form mastered.

Ikematsu, who signed with Robert Morris on May 18, is the first Japanese player in that program's history.

Three Pitt student-athletes to visit Vietnam in Coach for College program.

Campers from the 2014 program, which also featured Pitt student-athletes (via the Coach for College Facebook group).

University of Pittsburgh student-athletes will visit Vietnam this summer as participants in the Coach for College program. From a May 24 press release:

Three University of Pittsburgh student-athletes are set to travel abroad to participate in the Coach for College program, including junior men's soccer player Craig Bair, sophomore cross-country runner Sarah Frick and junior softball player Olivia Gray.

Coach for College is service-learning program that brings together U.S. student-athletes and Vietnamese university students to teach academics, sports, and life skills at summer camps to disadvantaged children in rural Vietnam. The program provides sports infrastructure to youth who attend middle schools in rural parts of developing countries, and helps them develop excitement for and proficiency in science, leadership, language, and life skills using sports as a means to applied learning.

Dragon Boat Festival returns to Pittsburgh with Dragon Fest 2017, June 10.

The Organization of Chinese Americans Pittsburgh Chapter is hosting Dragon Fest 2017 on June 10.

Come enjoy a summer afternoon with OCA members and family. Learn how to dragonboat alongside members of the Pittsburgh Paddlefish Dragon Boat team, and meet our Japan-America Society of Pittsburgh (JASP) and Taiwanese Association of America (TAA), Pittsburgh Chapter members and friends! We will have professional staff that will introduce the basics of dragon boating and a brief training session. After the training, we are planning on having teams compete in short races. Join us as a guest (must be an OCA, TAA, or JAS member), or apply as an individual rower or build your own team. All attendees will enjoy having a chance to sit in an authentic dragon boat, along with other crafts and activities for children. Lunch Bentos will be available for sale. Children 12 and under can receive dragon boat instruction, but will not be allowed to participate in the races. It’s never too late to get involved in a new hobby that's as much fun and exhilarating as dragon boating! Reservations required, all ages welcome!

The festival will be held atMillvale Riverfront Park in Millvale, across the river from Lawrenceville (map).

Pirates sign 18-year-old Chinese pitcher Haicheng Gong (宫海成)

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed 18-year-old Chinese pitcher Haicheng Gong (宫海成) on Tuesday. MLB.com writes that Gong comes from the Chinese Development Academy and will be assigned to the team's Bradenton affiliate. Rumbunters has more details, including the time Gong has spent getting used to American culture.

The Pirates have had a number of Asian players in their system the past decade, though Gong is the first from the People's Republic of China. The four East Asian players to make the big league roster are Masumi Kuwata in 2007, Akinori Iwamura in 2010, Hisanori Takahashi in 2012, and Jung-ho Kang in 2015-2016.

Josh Lindblom rejoins Pirates, by way of Lotte.

via 스포츠동아.

Major League Baseball's official site on the 12th profiled Josh Lindblom, a 29-year-old pitcher signed by Pittsburgh in December after two years with the Lotte Giants.

He learned some conversational Korean, came to appreciate the food, took part in team events and soaked in the unique baseball culture for two years. He pitched pretty well, too, starting 61 games with a 4.33 ERA in the hitter-friendly KBO. He became a fan favorite in a foreign country.

"We loved everything about it," he said. "I can't say enough about our experience over there. No words can describe the way they accepted us. It was unbelievable. … It was probably one of the best, if not the best experience of my career."

Lindblom was briefly in the organization in 2014. He returned to the US because of his infant daughter, who requires special medical attention.

On July 1, after one of those routine checkups, the top pediatric cardiologist in South Korea told the Lindbloms their daughter would be born with a rare congenital heart defect: Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome. The right side of her heart didn't develop properly.

. . .

Monroe was born on Oct. 20. She had her first open-heart surgery a week later, on Oct. 27. It won't be her last. She'll need another operation this summer, maybe one more after that.

You'd never know it by looking at her, Lindblom says. She's a beautiful, growing baby. But for now, he says, Monroe is "day to day." For her and her parents, some of those days are better than others.

"Essentially, she still has half a heart," Lindblom said. "Every day's a battle. You wake up and you're just thankful that she's alive."

Pirates infielder Kang booked for fleeing scene of DUI in Seoul.

via 중앙일보.

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung-ho Kang was arrested for fleeing the scene of a DUI in Seoul early Friday morning. From the Korea Times:

According to Gangnam Police Station in southern Seoul, Kang was booked for fleeing the scene after crashing into a guard rail on his way to his hotel in Samseong-dong at 2:48 a.m.

A person in the passenger seat, whose identity was withheld, reported to police that he or she was the driver of the vehicle. After analyzing the car's black box, police determined that Kang had been behind the wheel and called him in for questioning.

Kang's blood alcohol content level was 0.084 percent, a level subject to the suspension of one's license. The legal limit here is 0.05 percent.

Steelers의 김장.

Saveur magazine visits Korea in its profile of various sauces, and makes reference to "the Pittsburgh of Korea" and its professional soccer team, the Pohang Steelers. The team adopted the name in 1997, and the city---a hub of industry and steel---has been called the "Pittsburgh of Korea" for decades. The Steelers' website published photos on the 21st of the team participating in a local gimjang (김장), the annual late-autumnal preparation of kimchi.

Sumo Showdown in Pittsburgh, January 21.

Suno Showdown, a sumo competition featuring Japanese wrestlers and local celebrities, will take place in Pittsburgh on January 21.

The Young Presidents Organization Pittsburgh Chapter will host this unforgettable charity event benefiting the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh. Sumo is one of the most popular sports in Japan, and we’re ecstatic to be bringing it to Pittsburgh to benefit our region’s youth. Sumo matches were originally held to raise money to construct shrines, temples or to replace bridges, but this January a Sumo match will be held to raise money for the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh in conjunction with our celebrity partners’ charities. Professional Sumo wrestler will be flown in to compete along side local CEOs and celebrities.

The event takes place on January 21 at 7:00 pm at Stage AE on the North Shore (map). Tickets are currently available online and range from $35 to $100 for adults.

Blogilates: Fitness Class and Lecture at Pitt, November 13.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Students Alliance will host a Fitness Class and Lecture with Asian-American fitness entrepreneur Blogilates on November 13.

Cassey Ho, also known by the alias Blogilates, is an Asian-American social-media fitness entrepreneur with a YouTube channel with over 3 million subscribers. She is considered an Internet personality and a rising YouTube star nationally and internationally. Come take part in a special fitness class instructed by Cassey and stay after to hear her speak about her experiences about how being Asian-American shaped her journey to where she is today!

PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN YOGA MATS TO THE EVENT.

After the fitness class and lecture, there is an exclusive Meet & Greet for VIP Members of the Asian Students Alliance. Anyone can buy a membership during ASA Office Hours (Tuesday, 12-6pm) in WPU 609 or during ASA November GBM & Social for $10.

The event runs from 6:30 to 9:30 pm in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room (map). The event is free for Pitt students with valid student ID, and tickets for all others are $10. Tickets are available in the William Pitt Union Ticket Office through November 10.

Former Pittsburgh Pirate Kris Johnson wins Sawamura Award as Japan's top pitcher.

Kris Johnson, who pitched briefly for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, won the Eiji Sawamura Award today as Japan's top pitcher in 2016.

Shippensburg U. graduate finishes first week in China Arena Football League.

via @bigmetzy, Metz's Instagram page.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania graduate Jake Metz, an offensive lineman who spent time in the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp this summer, is one of a couple Pennsylvanians on rosters of China Arena Football League, which began play on October 1. Metz, a 6'7" (200.66 cm) offensive lineman, was chosen in the third round of the CAFL draft by the Qingdao Clipper, one of the league's six teams. The Clipper beat the Guangzhou Power 38-35.

Former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw on "Better Late Than Never", remake of South Korean travel comedy show "꽃보다 할배".

As we wrote last June, Terry Bradshaw, the Hall of Fame quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1970 to 1983, will be one of the stars of "Better Late Than Never", an upcoming reality show based off South Korea's "Grandpa Over Flowers" (꽃보다 할배).

Japan National High School Champions play Western Pennsylvania All Stars in (American) football, July 29 in Greenville.

via American Scholar Group Facebook page.

Greenville-based American Scholar Group is hosting Japanese high school American football players as part of its Football Camp this month, and the Japan National High School Champions from Kwansei Gakuin High School (関西学院高等部) will play against the Western Pennsylvania All Stars on July 29. Earlier in July the team visited PNC Park and participated in cultural activities in Greenville, roughly 80 miles north of Pittsburgh.


via American Scholar Group Facebook page.

Catcher Jin-de Jhang called up to Indianapolis Indians.

Via 張進德 Jin-de Jhang Facebook page.

Catcher Jin-de Jhang (張進德)---a 23-year-old catcher from Taitung, Taiwan---was called up to AAA Indianapolis yesterday after a number of recent injuries led to a shortage at the position. Jhang, who signed with Pittsburgh in 2011, had spent the entirety of 2016 with the Altoona Curve, hitting .290 with 13 RBIs in 31 games as the team's backup catcher.

Asian Pacific Heritage Day, Jung-ho Kang Bobblehead Day, August 11 at PNC Park.

August 11 will be Asian Pacific Heritage Day at PNC Park. The first 20,000 fans will receive Jung-ho Kang Bobbleheads. Kang (강정호) is an third baseman from South Korea who has made a big impact in just over one season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is the second Korean to play for Pittsburgh in the regular season, and the first position player to do so.

Steelers' second round draft choice can speak Chinese.

Sean Davis, the Pittsburgh Steelers' second round draft choice in 2016, can count Chinese as one of the three languages he speaks. That's according to his University of Maryland bio that's been quoted in subsequent press releases, and according to a 2012 article profiling him out of high school when he committed to the Terapins:

Something that not many people know about you: “I studied Chinese for three years. I’m tri-lingual – English, Chinese and French. I’ve been speaking French for about five years. I picked up Chinese for three years in high school. … I dropped [it this year]. If I hear it and they’re not speaking too fast, I can understand it. The characters are still pretty hard. I haven’t really mastered it. I probably never will because I dropped it. But I can read books and write letters.”

For what they're worth, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article and a tweet from a 93.7 The Fan producer say he is fluent.