Our starting pitcher could tell after the first few hitters that the Russian team was not well acquainted with breaking balls, so he was throwing mainly heaters down the middle. The home run was the highlight of the day since it likely was the first ever hit in the U.S. by a player from Russia.

Remember it like it was yesterday. The Russian team was comprised of athletes from other sports (javelin throwers, sprinters, etc.), so it was definitely a learning experience for them. Our team featured future MLB player John Flaherty in what was an interesting cultural exchange.