European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 02, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse William Howard aft in . Ambassador to nato heaves one of his four opening pitches to Richard Holliday a 9-year-old s pastime Quot the Star spangled Banner Quot and a Marine color guard from the . Embassy in Brussels bring the International crowd to International in Brussels by David Tarran Brussels Bureau. Who can speak French a asked baseball coach Jim Arbuszewski. A a dozen or so 6-year-Olds raised their hands to a squealing chorus of Quot i of. Of. So it s not what you normally hear a coach shouting at Spring practice around most bal Fields. But this is Brussels Belgium where baseball is As multinational s the newest defense strategy cooked up at the nearby nato Headquarters and As multilingual As the european Community Central office across town. There Are More than 17 nationalities represented a among the 580 children playing on the 41 Little league teams in the Brussels sports association. A Little More than half the players Are americans. But the rest include a Range of nationalities that sounds More like the makeup of a . Peacekeeping Force 1 australians brazilians peruvians swedish icelanders norwegians israelis and so on. Quot i m amazed to find that the National pastime is becoming an International pastime and what a wonderful pastime it is a said William Howard Taft in the . Ambassador to nato who spoke at the season opening ceremony for the Little leagues and their parents last j month at the Field near the International school of Brussels. It was Taft s great Grandfather by the Way who As president of the United states a few decades Back began the tradition of . Presidents tossing out the Quot first pitch to Start the professional baseball season. This Taft actually threw out four balls to Start the Brussels season including one to norwegian 8-year-old 4 stripes Magazine May 2, 19dj
