442nd Books Three Tough Games This Week

In the first of three tough games this week, the Japanese American Combat Team baseball team will play the 100th Infantry Bn. nine Tuesday on field in No. 7.

On Thursday afternoon, the Combat Team will oppose the 631st Ordnance squad for the non-divisional baseball championship of Camp Shelby. The following Sunday will see the Japanese Americans playing the Meridian City team in Meridian in a return match.

Strengthened by the return of left-handed pitcher Higuchi to the mound, the Combat Team will face the 100th Infantry, also composed of Japanese American soldiers, and a game that has long been argued by rabid baseball followers of both teams. The long- standing argument as to which outfit has the better baseball team should be settled by Tuesday’s contest.

Coach Maj. James Lovell of the 100th Infantry plans to start the battery of Kaneshina and Okazaki while coach Lt. Thomas Watt of the Combat Team has chosen Jim Miyamoto for the mound with “Peanuts” Kirihara catching. Lefty Higuchi, ace chucker, will not start since he was released from the hospital just last week. As relief hurlers, Coach Watt has Lefty Higuchi and Pvt. Tadashi Uchigaki.

Thursday’s game will pit the Combat Team baseballers against the 631st ordinance nine for the Camp Shelby non-divisional baseball championship. Not having met in either league or practice play, both teams will go into the fray without an idea of the opponent’s hitting, fielding or pitching strength.

The return game with the Meridian team will find the Combat Team determined to avenge the 4 to 1 defeat in the first game.