I was delighted to accept the offer of “How about Dubai? I’d be happy to accept the offer.” … Traveling baseball player Munenori Kawasaki: “I wonder if I can get a camel as a prize.

Baseball as Seen from Abroad

I played professional baseball in Japan, went to the majors, and played in Taiwan and Mexico, but I still have a desire to play overseas. So when I was offered the chance to play in Dubai in the Middle East, I gladly accepted. I was happy to accept the offer. I have the impression that the Middle East and Dubai are full of possibilities. But then I thought about it and asked myself, “Where is Dubai? I thought it was the name of a country. I thought it was the name of a country (laughs).

Wearing a “kandoora,” an ethnic costume given to him by a friend he befriended there, Munenori Kawasaki, 44, proudly held out two trophies with a beaming smile (see photo).

The bigger one is the MVP of the series, and the other one is the ‘Elvis Andrus Clubhouse Award,’ which is given in recognition of the team’s success,” Kawasaki said. That’s just like me, isn’t it?

Baseball United, the region’s first baseball league, was launched at the end of last year with four teams based in the Middle East and South Asia. Kawazaki played for the Mid-East Falcons, along with such old standouts as Hiroyuki Nakajima (43, formerly of Chunichi, etc.) and Shuhei Fukuda (36, formerly of Lotte, etc.). After posting a .367 batting average in the regular season, he led his team to the championship in the playoffs between the top two teams, and was awarded the MVP of the first series.

I thought I might get a camel as an extra prize, but alas (laughs). But when the game starts, the starting pitcher rides a camel to the mound.”

This was one of the staging methods used to gain popularity in Dubai, a land barren of baseball, but baseball itself also had its own rules that were ″unconventional″ and defied common sense.

In the February 6 issue of “FRIDAY February 20 and 27” and the paid version of “FRIDAY GOLD,
The February 6 issue of “FRIDAY” (February 20 and 27) and the pay-per-view edition of “FRIDAY GOLD” will feature a detailed report on Kawazaki’s performance in Dubai, the insights he gained from this challenge, his belief in continuing to play even at age 44, his thoughts on retirement, and more, with photos taken on the ground.

For more details and multiple photos, click here.

From the February 20/27, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY