Take a look at Danny the fat mess, what happened to him.. Read the story first and then look at the pic. I can't believe my eyes.
HANOI, Vietnam -- Danny Graves traveled a long way to find his roots. Just a baby when he left Vietnam in 1974, the Cleveland Indians reliever returned for the first time Tuesday to glean a sense of the country and teach baseball to kids.
"I'm definitely excited to be here," Graves said after arriving in Hanoi. "I don't really know much about the country, all I know is what's on TV."
Graves, the only Vietnamese-born player in the major leagues, left Saigon when he was only 14 months old. His mother, Thao, worked at the U.S. Embassy during the Vietnam War. That's when she met Graves' father, Jim, an American serviceman who died six years ago.
The pitcher, accompanied by his mother and wife, Andrea, is visiting as part of a goodwill tour sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
Few Vietnamese regularly follow American sports in a country where soccer is king. Graves is hoping his visit will help create curiosity about America's national pastime.
"Kids at schools in Vietnam here see another Vietnamese player has been able to play baseball his whole career," he said. "Maybe that would spark a little more interest."
Graves, a two-time NL All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, will conduct a baseball demonstration at a sports college near Hanoi on Wednesday.
The delegation will travel Friday to a province near the former demilitarized zone to dedicate Vietnam's first little league field and present children with baseball equipment. They also will visit several projects sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, including a land mine removal and awareness program.
"Here is the opportunity for us to really turn a battlefield into ... a field of dreams," said Jan Scruggs, founder and president of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 10-day trip also will include stops in several key cities and tourist spots to help Graves learn more about the country where he was born.
The 32-year-old right-hander signed a minor league contract with the Indians last month with an invitation to major league spring training.
A 1994 draft choice by Cleveland, Graves was traded to Cincinnati in 1997. The Reds released him last June after he went 1-1 with 10 saves and a 7.36 ERA. He then joined the Mets, but pitched only 20 1-3 innings for New York.
HANOI, Vietnam -- Danny Graves traveled a long way to find his roots. Just a baby when he left Vietnam in 1974, the Cleveland Indians reliever returned for the first time Tuesday to glean a sense of the country and teach baseball to kids.
"I'm definitely excited to be here," Graves said after arriving in Hanoi. "I don't really know much about the country, all I know is what's on TV."
Graves, the only Vietnamese-born player in the major leagues, left Saigon when he was only 14 months old. His mother, Thao, worked at the U.S. Embassy during the Vietnam War. That's when she met Graves' father, Jim, an American serviceman who died six years ago.
The pitcher, accompanied by his mother and wife, Andrea, is visiting as part of a goodwill tour sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
Few Vietnamese regularly follow American sports in a country where soccer is king. Graves is hoping his visit will help create curiosity about America's national pastime.
"Kids at schools in Vietnam here see another Vietnamese player has been able to play baseball his whole career," he said. "Maybe that would spark a little more interest."
Graves, a two-time NL All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, will conduct a baseball demonstration at a sports college near Hanoi on Wednesday.
The delegation will travel Friday to a province near the former demilitarized zone to dedicate Vietnam's first little league field and present children with baseball equipment. They also will visit several projects sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, including a land mine removal and awareness program.
"Here is the opportunity for us to really turn a battlefield into ... a field of dreams," said Jan Scruggs, founder and president of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
The 10-day trip also will include stops in several key cities and tourist spots to help Graves learn more about the country where he was born.
The 32-year-old right-hander signed a minor league contract with the Indians last month with an invitation to major league spring training.
A 1994 draft choice by Cleveland, Graves was traded to Cincinnati in 1997. The Reds released him last June after he went 1-1 with 10 saves and a 7.36 ERA. He then joined the Mets, but pitched only 20 1-3 innings for New York.
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