In a statement on Feb 22, HSM said the sponsorship, valued at RM500,000, gave Hitachi the right to name the batting cage centre one year from its opening in April. 'It's a Hit! Batting Cages' is located on the rooftop of One Utama Shopping Centre.
'It's a fantastic opportunity. We can create sporting history, inspire the next generation of ballplayers, plus the concept's great! It's fresh, exciting, innovative - qualities which represent Hitachi,' said Shigeharu Annaka, managing director of HSM.
'The fact that we have an existing campaign called 'It's A HIT!?, a play on a famous baseball phrase, makes the sponsorship an outright winner,' he added. In the campaign slogan, 'HIT' is short for Hitachi.
'Baseball and softball have all the attributes to be popular in Malaysia. The sports have a hip image, and cater to different players, from kids to adults who haven't exercised in years," Annaka said.
"It's already a part of popular culture through fashion, movies, video games and music," said Tim Freebairn, general manager of Jolt Sports, which owns and manages It's a Hit! Batting Cages.
Hitachi has the foresight and the guts to be part of an emerging sport and a recreational concept that no one has seen in the country. Many companies talk about being different, but few has truly followed it with action."
HSM is part of the global conglomerate, Hitachi Ltd, a Fortune 500 company which produces a diverse range of products from electronics to semiconductors to power plants.
Established in HSM markets products from its factories in Bangi, Selangor, as well as those made in Japan.
Jolt Sports' management has more than 30 years of personal and professional involvement in the game, including coaching credentials from US and Australia.
They are also committee members of the Federation of Baseball Malaysia. Its managers spent years meeting deadlines in media, including stints with ESPN Star Sports, CNBC, AXN, and MediaCorp Singapore.
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To My Business Associates, Friends & FamiliesYou need a second job (or your parents do) just to pay for gloves, bats, equipment, uniforms, player fees, batting cages, etc...
Your second job is umpiring at softball games.
Your idea of spending quality time with your spouse is playing on the same co-ed team.
You have more than one bat that cost over $200.
You go to the softball fields on nights your team isn't even playing.
You used to rest and relax on the weekends, now the only rest you get is between games at a tournament.
You think "wearing something nice" means an all-tournament shirt with no dirt stains.
When someone says they are going out of town this weekend you ask if there is a tournament there.
All your white socks have dirt stains from playing softball.
Your idea of a weekend getaway is a two-day tournament in (insert town name).
You have a tattoo that says softball forever.
You plan your summer vacation each year around the state softball tournament.
You own more softball t-shirts than pairs of underwear.
Your girlfriend / boyfriend knows when you ask them out to dinner you really mean pizza after the game.
You tape your bat handles with various designs and use only tape with team colors.
You have a softball website.
To My Muslim Friends and Relatives
TEAMS | PLAY | WIN | DRAW | LOSE | FORFEIT | FOR | AGAINST | POINTS |
| Sunset Batters | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 19 | 4 |
| Stealers | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 18 | 4 |
Critters | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 24 | 4 |
Oilers and Knights
Syed Zul receiving souvenir From Musrafi (Sunset Batters and Knights)
Me receiving souvenir from Musrafi
