BC-Sports Showcase Digest,ADVISORY

A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.

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BBO--CHINESE AIRHOGS

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas -The starting lineups are introduced in English and Spanish at home games for the independent Texas AirHogs, and then the Chinese national anthem is played. The small ballpark in Texas just a few miles from downtown Dallas is home this summer for the Chinese national baseball team under an unprecedented setup. The Chinese players are part of a revolving roster in a professional league, getting to play more games and against tougher competition to strengthen their team for future international competitions like the 2020 Olympics. Their manager is John McLaren, a three-decade MLB coach who has been involved with the Chinese team since 2011. By Stephen Hawkins. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos, video by 3 a.m. Wednesday.

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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia at 215-446-6632 or ogarcia(at)ap.org.

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