I had the pleasure of spending 14 months in Beijing as a sports columnist for China Daily, the largest English publication in the PRC. The year I was there (2004-05) was the third season of the China Baseball League, a seven-team pro circuit that was just starting to break through from the periphery of the nation's sports culture. Baseball has a history on the Chinese mainland dating back to the 1920s; in fact, the nation's first baseball stadium was a gift from the O'Malley family in the early 1970s. The game is now growing by leaps and bounds and is especially popular among college students. If the day ever comes when the PRC gains a financial stake in the Dodgers – or any other MLB team – I think the benefits would outweigh any pitfalls. Just my 2 cents worth.
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