Howe was managing a squad of major league all-stars on a weeklong tour of Japan.

In one game against a team of major league all-stars, Bell actually scored from first base on a bunt against Bob Lemon.

The game may have inspired Kevin King's 2007 fictional account of a Negro League team defeating a team of major league all-stars.

Players such as Bob Feller and other major league all-stars have stepped foot inside this historic stadium.

After the 2002 season, Giambi visited Japan with a group of major league all-stars for an exhibition series.

The last time Matsui played in Tokyo, after the 2002 season, he batted just .161 in a series against major league all-stars.

During a recent tour of Japan by major league all-stars, both management and union executives went along eagerly looking for ways to expand baseball's business horizons to the Far East.

"They've improved in the six years since I've been here," said Mets Manager Art Howe, who is leading the major league all-stars.

Fehr is scheduled to leave Monday for Japan, where a team of major league all-stars will play eight games in the first 10 days of next month.

Williams, who visited Japan on a tour of major league all-stars in 2002, predicted last week that his teammates would be overcome by jet lag.