I recently ran across an article about the Japanese cell phone novel. Have you heard of this? Five or six years ago people in Japan started writing stories on their cell phones, dropping colorful phrases that painted some kind of angsty story of the life of a (usually) a young female narrator. Heartbreak, disappointments, incest, and many other juicy topics spewed forth from the phones of young people who wanted to tell a story.

I was so excited the other day when I heard that Japan had signed its first professional female baseball player. Eri Yoshida signed with Kobe 9 Cruise. Kobe 9 Cruise is part of the new Japanese Baseball League.Wait, it gets better. Eri is a pitcher. Eri is a pitcher with a mean knuckleball. Most Major League Baseball pitchers haven't mastered the knuckleball. Wait, it gets even better.  Eri Yoshida is still in high school. She is sixteen years old.