NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo Pref. -- With the Hanshin Tigers having their best start in years this season, the pride of the Kansai area has been the center of public and media attention.
While the media and fans are in the grips of Tiger mania, the extensive coverage of Hanshin players has had a far-reaching effect for one charitable nonprofit organization.
Hanshin stars started the season on March 30 sporting stickers of Ashinaga (Long Legs), a Tokyo-based scholarship foundation, on their batting helmets in an effort to support youths who have lost parents due to disease, suicide, crime or disaster, or whose parents cannot work due to such incidents.