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SL1 Birmingham Barons

Regions Park To host International Exhibition

May 16, 2007 - Southern League (SL1)
Birmingham Barons News Release


BIRMINGHAM, AL - USA Baseball and the Birmingham Barons announced today that the 2007 USA Baseball National Team and the Chinese National Team will play Game #3 of their inaugural International Friendship Series at Regions Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on July 25, 2007, at 7:05 p.m.

The game will be part of the USA Baseball's annual Summer Tour that includes games at eight Minor League stadiums throughout the southeastern United States.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with the Barons to bring this night of international baseball and cultural exchange to the Birmingham community," said Paul V. Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director/CEO. "The Barons have a great schedule of events planned for Team USA and China during the day and in the evening fans will have the opportunity to see the USA Baseball National Team against one the rising powers in international baseball."

Team China will be managed by former Major League skipper Jim Lefebvre. The team will include members of both their 2006 World Baseball Classic Team and their country's Olympic Baseball Team that will compete in the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

The USA Baseball National Team consists of the top collegiate baseball players in the country. Each summer the team plays in a schedule of exhibition games across America and overseas. The 2007 squad will represent the United States at the 2007 Pan American Games July 14-19 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil prior to their stop in Birmingham.

Players who have worn the Red, White, and Blue for USA Baseball and have gone on to Major League Baseball success include such notables as Nomar Garciaparra (1992), Todd Helton (1993), and Mark Teixeira (2000), Jason Varitek (1996) and rising stars including 2006 National League Rookie of the Year Ryan Howard (2000), 2005 American League Rookie of the Year Huston Street (2002 & 2003). Current Birmingham Barons' Wes Whisler and Donny Lucy have also donned their country's colors.

"We're extremely excited to put Regions Park, and the City of Hoover, on the world stage for this international event," said Barons' owner Stan Logan. "We have created a world-class facility and look forward to welcoming some of the best young players from the US and China to entertain our fans."

The Friendship Series will be the third international exhibition played at Regions Park in the stadium's 20-year history. During the summer of 1993, The United States and Canada met at in Hoover, a game that included future Major Leaguers Todd Helton, Danny Graves and Dustin Hermanson. In 1996 the Park hosted Cuba and Nicaragua, a Cuban team that featured White Sox pitcher Jose Contreras, among others.

The exhibition between USA Baseball and China on July 25th will be a $1-beverage promotion at Regions Park. Tickets for the exhibition between Team USA and Team China are available immediately through the Barons box office. For more information call 205-988-3200 or visit www.barons.com.

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