Lefebvre lifts China to big win

This morning at Wukesong Baseball Field in Beijing, the Chinese Baseball team won their very first Olympic baseball game.  The manager who got the job done? 

Jim Lefebvre.  That’s right, the former 8-year MLB infielder and manager of three MLB team (including the Cubs).  While Lefebvre didn’t have remarkable success in the bigs (he never finished abouve 4th place), he seems to be enjoying his hero status today after defeating Chinese Taipei 8-7.

From the Canwest News Service:

"Ecstatic Chinese players poured from the dugout, embracing each other in a sea of emotion. Slowly, Jim Lefebvre, their 66-year-old manager from Scottsdale, Ariz., waddled his way toward the celebration. As he did, the players turned their attention toward him. The man who’d made all this possible. First, Zhang Hongbo embraced his skipper, lifting Lefebvre in the air. Next, Hou Fenglian placed his manager in a bear hug of happiness."

No doubt, the baseball program has a way to go.  They were defeated 10-0 by Team Canada one game earlier.  But this is a step in the right direction. 

Another interesting piece of trivia… Steve Ontiveros (the former pitcher) is the pitching coach for the China team. 

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