« When the apprentice is ready, the master arrives. » That’s exactly what happened to Jamel Boutagra at the turn of the 21st century when he crossed paths with Yoshio Yoshida in the inner circles of the French national baseball team.
The two men grew so close that when the master passed away in February, the apprentice, now a master in his own right, found himself at his bedside, like a son of the family.
Let’s hear from Jamel Boutagra, who shares with us what this encounter sparked in the landscape of French baseball.
BTVF: Last July, three U16 teams (Japanese, French, and Dutch) gathered in Évry for a tournament. How did the idea for this tournament in France come about?
Last summer, I had met Mr. Yoshida, and I told him about this project. He was pleased that it was happening and said he would support it. But Mr. Yoshida left us in February. I attended his funeral in Japan. Many people there told me: “This can’t stop now.” For a few years, I’ve been thinking about building connections and setting up exchange programs. We had planned a meeting with the presidents of Little Big 12U and Little League 15U. The latter told me: “Let’s do it, even as early as 2025.” I was thinking more along the lines of 2026, but he found my proposals incredibly interesting and wanted to take a first step this summer.
I thought: we need to create an association. The name Yoshitei is a blend of Yoshida’s name and shiitake, to symbolize the passing of knowledge.
I got back in touch with them, telling them I had started working on the project, and they were motivated. We needed a third team: it was the Dutch national U16 team that completed the tournament.
BTVF: How do you explain the role of the association in France?
It’s really all connected to Mr. Yoshida. He changed my life. I met him at 16 through baseball. In his heart, the French national team and his club team, the Tigers, were his two favorite teams. That was his path: the Tigers and the French national team. I retired from playing in 2014. I had already organized an exhibition match with all the players who had played for him between 1990 and 1995. In our conversations, he told me: “It’s not possible for you to keep all this to yourself—everything we’ve passed on, everything we’ve experienced together. There are young players here who need you. You can’t stay on the sidelines.” I was shocked by his passing, and I thought: this is the moment to do something. It’s up to us to carry the torch. And it happened faster than I imagined.
BTVF: How did the tournament go? Are you satisfied with the organization? Was the varying skill level of the teams difficult to manage?
The Japanese were very strong. They’re 15-year-olds, but they have a professional mindset. They could beat any Division 1 team. The French weren’t bad at all: there were about ten players from the French U15 national team, and five born in 2009. We built a team with Boris Rottermund, and I took some liberties, but the players were experienced. The Dutch were a notch below. They made a lot of effort to put together a team, and they worked hard.
Over the three days of the tournament, there were 19 home runs: 15 by the Japanese, 4 by the French.
BTVF: What do you take away from this first edition?
What was done is good. And I’ve never worked alone. I’m well supported. There are probably people who didn’t believe in it, who thought it was a bit too ambitious. But the organization was top-notch, and many people got involved: host families, volunteers on the field…
I’m really happy and proud of what we’ve accomplished. There were some great games. We were a bit dominated by the Japanese, but they were incredibly open. They shared a lot with exemplary behavior.
BTVF: What’s the future of all this?
I’m working on a much bigger tournament, with six teams, still focusing on U15 and U16, but also adding U12 and U13. So two categories, six teams each, with the Japanese as guest stars. I’d also like to bring in teams from other continents: Taiwan, Canada, the United States, Cuba, or even teams from South America. I’d like to create an all-star European youth team with German, Italian, Spanish… and of course French players. We’ll start working on it in September, and I’m confident about the 2026 edition. The U12 and U15 categories are fantastic: it’s spectacular, it’s beautiful, and the kids have a great mindset. It’s really great.
Photo credit: Glenn Gervot
