A's Announce Early Plans to Support Japanese Tsunami Victims
Oakland Slugger Hideki Matsui Issues Statement Regarding His Homeland
OAKLAND, CALIF. – In the wake of the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan Friday afternoon, the Oakland A's announced today that the team will help raise funds to aid victims of the disaster. The A's open the 2011 season with a three-game series at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum against the Seattle Mariners and plans are being made to add a fundraising component for Japanese Heritage Day, scheduled for the series' final game Sunday, April 3.
Details of the benefit game, which will feature Japan's two greatest modern-day players in Oakland's Hideki Matsui and Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki, will be announced at a later date.
Matsui, a native of Ishikawa, Japan and resident of Tokyo in the offseason, issued a statement this morning about the devastation that occurred in the past 24 hours:
"I am deeply concerned and affected by what is happening in Japan. I pray for the safety of all the people that have been affected and continue to be affected by this disaster."
The A's said they will be working closely with Hiroshi Inomata, San Francisco's Japanese Consul-General, and other community leaders in their efforts to support the tsunami victims.
