MIKE'S NOTE TO A FRIEND: When I unpacked my treasured T-shirt I found it reads "Manipur Baseball" not "Manipuri Baseball" (which I think is what I told you.) It also has a small round logo on the back shoulder which reads Manipur Amateur Baseball Association (and something in Manipuri) in a circle; and inside the circle there is a silhouette of a baseball hitter and an image of the lion/dragon which symbolizes Manipur. I forget what it's called, but I can find out these things from Somi if you like.  Anyhow, it's a great T-shirt (black on grey) and I've asked Somi to try to bring some more when he comes back to New York in a couple of weeks. This is because I've found people here fascinated by this whole story and I've decided to form a Board of Directors for the project and I want them to have the T-shirts.  These will be people from baseball itself (players and others), writers, influential people who love the game.

For Americans, baseball is such a joyous game.  We love the look of it, the dual emphasis on the individual and on the team, the fact that it has no time constraints (theoretically a game could go on forever), its beauty, its history. I think the Manipuri players feel much of the same thing.  They really love the game and they want to see it flourish in Manipur. So do I.  It's a graceful game that somehow seems right even in such a remote and different culture.  But it can have its place in a land of grace, of subtle dance traditions and delicate music and glamorous polo.  An enchanting juxtaposition.