The Tacoma/Pierce County - Kitakyushu High School Baseball Exchange Program originated from the efforts of two people that have a great interest in baseball. Mr. Tak Ikeda, a community activist within the Tacoma Japanese community, and Mr. Hiroshi Yaskawa, then president of the Kitakyushu Chamber of Commerce, communicated many times until their efforts produced the Sister City Series as we know it today. Mr. Yaskawa was instrumental in arranging for the National High School Select Committee to play a series of games in the United States in 1987, with Tacoma being one of the sites. During these games, discussions involving Mr. Ikeda, Mr. Yaskawa, Mayor of Tacoma Doug Sutherland, and Pierce County Executive Joe Stortini led to the establishment of the exchange. The Tacoma Athletic Commission, the Tacoma Japanese Community Service (Nikkei Jin Kai), the City of Tacoma, and Pierce County provided assistance in formalising the cultural exchange.

In 1988, the Tacoma Athletic Commission and the Nikkei Jin Kai sponsored the Tacoma/Pierce County delegation on their trip to Kitakyushu. Twenty players made the trip, accompanied by coaches Tom Shearer, Roy Young , and directors Joe Kosai·and George Nordi. The Kitakyushu team won all three games of that series. Tacoma hosted the Kitakyushu party in 1989 for a three game series. Coaches Joe Keller and Bob Maguinez joined the staff as Tacoma won two of the three games played. Mr. Tak Ikeda and Mr. Gerry Plancich served as Co-Chairmen of the event.

Due to the Goodwill games being held in the Pacific Northwest in 1990, the exchange was temporarily suspended for one year. However, plans were being formulated for a trip to Japan in 1991. The Weyerhaeuser Company became a valuable sponsor at this time. Linda Lorentzen of Weyerhaeuser and Dr. Kent Sullivan of the Washington Cultural Exchange provided much assistance to the Sister City Exchange. Plans for the 1991 trip· included a visit to Takuma Town, a small seaport and fishing community located in Kagawa Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku. Pierce County and Takuma were preparing to enter into a sister county relationship. The travelling party, led by head coach Roy Young, consisted of seventeen players accompanied by Mr. Tak Ikeda, Mr. Joe Stortini, Mayor of Tacoma Karen Vialle, Dr. Kent Sullivan, and Mr. Mike Masseth of Weyerhaeuser. Additions to the staff included directors Dan Murphy and Harry Taniguchi, and assistant coach Dave Tate. The host teams won all four games of the 1991 series.

The friendly exchange continued in 1992, as the group from Kitakyushu arrived in Tacoma for a four game series. Under head coach Joe Keller, the Tacoma team won game #l, but the visitors won the remaining three games. Joining the Tacoma/Pierce County Committee were assistant coaches Bob Lightfoot and Shawn McDougall and director Tony Anderson. In August of 1993, the Tacoma group departed for Japan in anticipation of a four game series to be played in Kitakyushu. Dr. Dolores Silas represented the City of Tacoma, and Mr. Joe Stortini represented Pierce County Dave Tate became the head coach, with Pete Jansen being added as assistant coach and Rob Ruth as umpire. Unfortunately, rain washed out all but one of the games, which the host team won.

In 1994, Kitakyushu visited Tacoma, and was victorious in three of the 4 games played. Bob Lightfoot served as head coach. In 1995, with Kitakyushu taking a year off from the exchange, Tacoma agreed to host a team from Kunsan, Korea, another of Tacoma s sister cities. However, the Kunsan team was unable to make travel arrangements, and the games were not played. The exchange with Japan resumed in 1996, as the Tacoma team won all three games played in Takuma and two of three games in Kitakyush. Tony Anderson and Joe Kosai served as Co-Chairmen, and Shawn McDougall was head coach.

1998 – Tacoma-Pierce County will travel to Kitakyush to play in their 11th annual exchange. This year makes the 40th anniversary of our Sister City Relationship.