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Globe and Mail
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato stars in Maple Leafs baseball debut
Leafs nation rose across Toronto on Sunday, first at the baseball park and later at the hockey rink. The 106th season of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) commenced with a historic moment as Ayami Sato, a six-time Women's Baseball World Cup champion with Japan, pitched for the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club. Sato struck out one batter and did not allow anyone on base in the first two innings of the Maple Leafs' 6-5 loss to the visiting Kitchener Panthers. For many of the 2,000 spectators at Christie Pits Park, the score was secondary at best. 'Ayami, Ayami, Ayami,' the crowd chanted as the three-time MVP ran on to the field. Sato, widely regarded as the best female pitcher in the world, joined the Maple Leafs with the club saying she is the first woman to play professional baseball in Canada. 'This is a really important moment,' said Winse Lam, a Canadian girls' baseball coach who was at the game to watch history happen alongside her family. 'We've been waiting for something like this to happen in Canada, and Sato is a trailblazer doing it. I hope it sets sparks for girls to continue playing.' Toronto finished seventh in the standings last season and is eyeing a top-three finish this year. Across the winter, the team recruited young names who are hopeful to prove themselves and sharpen their skills by working with a pitcher like Sato. Though this was not the start the team had hoped for, 'There are many positives to take from today,' head coach Rob Butler said. 'Ayami was just incredible and showed why she's here today,' he added. The pitcher herself found something else incredible: the young girls in the crowd. 'I was looking at the future of female baseball,' Sato told The Globe, holding back tears. The Toronto-based club is the only IBL team that does not charge fans for tickets, a quality the co-owners are very proud to hold, they said. 'It's a very important and affordable option for family time,' said Xingci, who was out for her first baseball game in a very long time. 'It's made for the community to enjoy.' Her partner, Chi, – neither wanted to use their last names – referenced Sato's signing to being as monumental as when Toronto FC signed Italian soccer star, Sebastian Giovinco in 2015. He went on to become one of the most beloved athletes in the city. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and councillor Dianne Saxe were in attendance. Saxe, addressing the crowd, said the event was 'not a moment of history, but a movement.' Scattered across the steep hill surrounding the baseball field were multiple local girls teams from across the region who made the trip down to Toronto to welcome the Japanese pitcher to town. From the moment they laid out their snacks and mats on the grass, the hundreds of girls chanted loudly for Sato and the Leafs. 'We primarily play against all-male opponents, and being able to come out here and be part of history is inspiring, not only for me and the girls, but also for my son,' said Tara Barratt, one of the coaches with the under-11 girls' York Cardinals. After the game, the group of young players met with Sato for autographs on the field. 'Ayami, you're so inspiring,' one said. 'Konnichiwa,' another followed. 'Thank you for being here,' a group of girls giggled out. The timing was perfect for Sato's debut in the city, as Mother's Day celebrations also took place. A group of young men had printed photos of their mothers on the back of their Leafs jerseys, and picnic mats had young girls and mothers eating hotdogs and ice cream across. The team announcer asked the crowd to get up and give a big round of applause to 'all of the great moms out there,' before the first pitch of the game. 'It's a big day for us mothers, daughters, and grandmothers. It's extremely suitable for the outing today.' highlighted Lam. Sato and the Leafs will travel to the Athletic Kulture Stadium in Barrie to face the Barrie Baycats on Thursday, May 15, as they look to grab their first of the season.
National Post
12-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Maple Leafs' Sato shines as 1st woman to play in Canadian men's pro baseball
Star female pitcher Ayami Sato made history as the first woman to play in a Canadian men's professional baseball league on Sunday. Article content Article content She also had a perfect debut for the Intercounty Baseball League's Toronto Maple Leafs. Article content Sato struck out one batter without allowing anyone on base in the first two innings of an eventual 6-5 loss to the Kitchener Panthers. Article content Fans at Dominico Field in Christie Pits welcomed Sato with loud applause when the public address announcer introduced her in the starting lineup for Toronto's home opener. Article content Article content Widely considered the top female pitcher in baseball, the 35-year-old from Japan signed with the Maple Leafs in December to become the IBL's first female player. Article content Sato helped Japan win five of its seven consecutive Women's Baseball World Cup titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), earning MVP honours in 2014, '16 and '18. Article content
CBC
11-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Japan's Ayami Sato becomes first woman to play in Canadian men's pro baseball league
Social Sharing Star female pitcher Ayami Sato made history as the first woman to play in a Canadian men's professional baseball league on Sunday. Sato struck out one batter without allowing anyone on base in the first two innings of an eventual 6-5 loss to the Kitchener Panthers. Fans at Dominico Field in Christie Pits welcomed Sato with loud applause when the public address announcer introduced her in the starting lineup for Toronto's home opener. Widely considered the top female pitcher in baseball, the 35-year-old from Japan signed with the Maple Leafs in December to become the IBL's first female player. Sato helped Japan win five of its seven consecutive Women's Baseball World Cup titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), earning MVP honours in 2014, '16 and '18. She pitched in the Japan Women's Baseball League from 2013 until it suspended operations in 2021, leading the league in strikeouts in three of its last four seasons. Toronto finished seventh in the IBL last season with a 17-25 record. WATCH | Japanese women's star Sato brings wealth of experience to IBL's Maple Leafs: Meet Ayami Sato: The first woman to compete on a men's pro baseball team in Canada 3 days ago Duration 2:10 The 35-year-old Japanese pitcher whose fastball reaches 80 mph, will pitch in the home opener for the Toronto Maple Leafs, an intercounty baseball team founded in 1896.
Globe and Mail
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Ayami Sato set to help make Maple Leafs Baseball Club make history
The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club have already hit it out of the park before even stepping up to the plate. The eight-time champions of the Intercountry Baseball League (IBL) are set to make history on Sunday (2 p.m. ET start) as they field legendary Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, who will become the first woman to play professional ball for a Canadian-based team. 'This is a historic milestone for women in sports, and especially in baseball,' said co-owner Keith Stein on Thursday night. 'We have the GOAT in Toronto, and in Christie Pits now.' Introducing the new signing to the media and members of the club's support group, Stein was joined by a number of his business partners, including former TSN sports announcer Rod Black, as well as IBL commissioner Ted Kalnins. 'I was shocked no team had done this before,' Stein told The Globe. 'No one had taken the opportunity to bring in a female player and I'm proud the Leafs get a piece of history with this.' The IBL has been in operation for over a century, and Sunday's opening game will mark its 106th season; one that will begin with history in the making through Sato, who is expected to take the mound as the starting pitcher against the Kitchener Panthers. 'When I got the offer at the end of last season from one of the executives, I could not believe it,' Sato told The Globe. 'This is a new challenge for me professionally, but it will also help me grow as a person.' Sato is considered to be one of the greatest female baseball players the game has ever seen, with five World Cup gold medals and three MVP trophies to show for it. At 35 years old, the decorated pitcher has spent her entire career playing in her native country, as there are currently no professional women's baseball leagues. Although Sato competed in Japan's women's league, it lost professional status in 2012 and has not regained it since. Though nervous, the Japanese signing is full of excitement to start a new chapter in Canada, one she was actively looking for. Sato was most recently part of a documentary about women's baseball, See Her, Be Her, and was exploring other ways she can inspire young girls. 'I hope my own personal challenge will open up new possibilities for girls out there,' Sato highlighted with a teary eye. 'I want to continue to inspire the next generation and become a role model.' Stein, alongside baseball pioneer Justine Siegal, are set to launch a professional league in the U.S. next year – the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) – with franchise announcements for the six markets to come at the end of the year. The businessman believes that the 'Sato effect,' in reference to the 'Caitlin Clark effect,' can ignite interest for the new league. In fact, he's already witnessed a dramatic shift. Less than a month ago, after announcing tryouts for the draft, the WPBL received sign-ups from more than 600 women, a staggering number for a league that will ultimately roster only around 150 players, said Stein. The Leafs are managed by Rob Butler, a member of the 1993 World Series-winning Toronto Blue Jays. Butler has been in his role since April of 2023. Though his team finished seventh last season with a 0.405-per-cent win ratio, Butler is confident the Leafs can sit at the top of the standings with Sato's addition. Additionally, the manager is also certain of the continued fan growth taking place at Christie Pits. The baseball club remains the only professional Toronto-based team that offers free admission to fans and they are expecting a turnout of more than 5,000 fans for Sunday's season opener. For two years in a row now, the IBL has eclipsed its attendance record, surpassing the 180,000 mark last season. Sunday stands to be another monumental moment where Toronto will get to celebrate making history in women's sports one more time.
