TOKYO (AP) _ Former major leaguer Warren Cromartie is hoping his
aggressive style of play on the baseball diamond will translate into
success in the wrestling ring.
Cromartie, 53, will step into the ring at Saitama Super Arena on
Sunday in a pro wrestling event called Hustle Aid. He'll team up
with Japan's Ryoji Sai to take on veteran wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh
and An Joenosuke in a tag-team match.
``I have to represent all baseball players,'' Cromartie said
Tuesday in a news conference that had the look and feel of a pro
wrestling match. ``I've got a reputation here, I've got my fans in
Japan so I'm taking this seriously and have been training real
hard.''
A fan favourite in Japan when he played for the Yomiuri Giants
from 1984 to 1990, Cromartie led the Central League in batting in
1989 with a .378 average and won the MVP.
He played in the North American major leagues for 10 seasons,
nine with the Montreal Expos before going to Japan, and one with
Kansas City in 1991 after he returned.
Cromartie was quite a showman in Japan and often led the Yomiuri
faithful with cheers of ``Banzai!'' from his position in the
outfield. In that sense, he's a perfect fit for pro wrestling here.
When told that Singh said he plans to hurt him, Cromartie had a
ready response.
``I'm going to take him out just like on a double play,'' said
Cromartie. ``I'm going to go from first to third and take him out
with a home run chop.''
When he played in Japan, Cromartie was involved in the occasional
brawl and said that should have prepared him well.
``I've thrown a punch and I've taken a punch,'' said Cromartie.
``I'm not scared. I've seen guys bleed before. He (Singh) is a
little crazy walking around with a sword in his mouth but I'm not
afraid of him.''
Cromartie wouldn't say how much he is being paid but did say the
organizers ``made it worth my while.'' He also pointed out that some
of the proceeds from the event will go to fighting leukemia.
Cromartie spent 2005 managing the Japan Samurai Bears, a team of
Japanese players that played in the Golden Baseball League, an
independent circuit in the western United States.
While he's not sure about his future in wrestling, Cromartie said
he would like to get back into managing a ball team.
``I'm not sure where this will take me,'' Cromartie said of his
wrestling gig. ``But I still love managing and teaching and
hopefully I will get back into that at some point.''
For his part, Singh, who is 63, was not amused by Cromartie's
foray into pro wrestling.
``Pro wrestling is a vicious game, a dangerous game,'' said
Singh. ``He should stick to baseball. I'll teach him a lesson once
and for all.''
Pro wrestling has a huge following in Japan. Many wrestlers like
Singh and Abdullah the Butcher have been able to prolong their
careers by fighting here.
