The Screaming Eagles, 13 young baseball players from the Howard-Palmetto Khoury League Midget Division, have returned from a successful trip to Japan, where they posted an impressive 7-1 record against some pretty tough Japanese youth teams.

The Screaming Eagles have returned from a successful trip to Japan.

Coach David Hardeman, 43, the South Miami insurance executive who managed the team, said it was a great trip and a marvelous experience for the youngsters right from the start.

David Hardeman

"On the way, we had a layover in Chicago," he said. "[Instead of] just sitting around, we went to Wrigley Field and finagled our way into getting a mini-tour. We ended up going on the field, into the locker room, in the dugout and into the front office."

Hardeman attributed the team’s success in Japan to the fact that the Eagles had been able to practice on a field similar to the one they played on in Japan, and that they were able to play with a Japanese baseball, which is different from the ones used in U.S. Khoury League play.

"We practiced here for two months," Hardeman said. "I was able to get the ball — they use a Kinko C ball, it’s made of rubber, it’s smaller and it’s lighter — and we practiced about three days a week. So, we were ready."

Hardeman said the Howard-Palmetto team was dominant in every game in pitching, hitting and fielding. He said the team’s only loss came at the hands of a Japanese team made up of older boys.

"We stayed in Nagahama and they brought teams from other cities in to play us," Hardeman said. "There was beautiful scenery, with mountains and rice fields all around. They split the kids up in pairs and they stayed in the Japanese kids’ homes. The Japanese just couldn’t do enough for us."

Hardeman said the Japanese will come to Pinecrest in March and the Screaming Eagles will play them twice and invite other teams to participate.

"We also want to show them what South Florida is like and take them to Shorty’s, to the Everglades, to the Seaquarium and take them dolphin fishing," Hardeman said. "And, what we really want to do is get them on the University of Miami’s Baseball Buddies program, where the [kids] are introduced at a game and go out on the field and stand in position with their UM counterparts."

Overall, the Screaming Eagles had a great time in Japan, Hardeman said.

"We had the best of Japan in every aspect," he said. "The Japanese people are extremely gracious and accommodating. We want to reciprocate."