Japanese Baseball, an overview
| Japanese Baseball, an overview |
| Tuesday, 22 July 2008 21:11 |
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Japanese Baseball from an Australian perspective would have to be the most mis-understood of all baseball. It is fast, exciting, intelligent and loud. The easiest way to describe Japanese Baseball is to use a quote from Anthony Bourdain, "Serious personal sacrifice for the good of the team"
The un-initiated view is that baseball was introduced to Japan during the American occupation following WWII. Baseball was actually introduced around 75 years earlier. Professor Horace Wilson is credited with introducing baseball to Japan. Professor Wilson was an American English teacher lecturing at Kaisei Gakko (now Tokyo University) and became concerned that his students were not getting enough outside exercise and activity. He introduced them to Baseball, the only team sport he knew. This was in1872. Hiroshi Hiraoka, who was in the United States studying engineering and a fan of the Boston Red Sox, introduced the game to his co-workers at Japan’s national railways in 1878. He and his co-workers created the first baseball team, the Shimbashi Athletic Club Athletics, and dominated other teams which popped up in Japan. High School BaseballPerhaps the most popular in Japan, the annual summer high school tournament is watched by millions on television each day. The tournament was first played in 1915 and has been held in August each year at the famous Koshien Stadium since 1924. The 27th tournament was canceled in 1941 and no further tournaments were played until the 28th tournament in 1946 due to World War II Around 4000 high schools play off to represent their prefectures in a sudden death competition to play at the famous stadium. Loose one game and the dream is over. 55 teams from 49 prefectures teams then play off at Koshien Stadium to be the summer champions. Games are played at a furious pace with a 9 innings game usually completed in 2 hrs and 15 mins. Each team brings a band and cheer squad. The cheer leaders take the job of supporting their team very seriously and cheer leaders feel the loss of a game the same way the players do. The band plays and the cheerers cheer constantly while their team is at bat. Each batter has their own piece of music that is played when they come up to bat.
Notable games; 1917 The first game was rained out after 3 innings 1939 Seiichi Shima throws a no-hitter. 1969 The first game was called after 18 innings; Koji Ohta pitched every inning and then appeared again the next day. 1977 The game is won on a three-run sayonara homerun in the bottom of the tenth. 1998 Daisuke Matsuzaka throws a no-hitter. 2006 Waseda Jitsugyo's Saitou Yuuki threw 6 complete games, 69 innings, and 948 pitches over the 2-week span, including 4 complete games, 43 innings and 553 pitches, in the final 4 days of the tournament. 2007 Kouryou takes a 4-0 lead behind the efforts of ace P Nomura who faces one more than the minimum through 7 innings. In the bottom of the 8th, the game suddenly falls apart as Nomura gives up a bases loaded walk followed by a grand slam home run by Soejima to lift Saga Kita to the title. 2008 Okumura opens the game with a grand slam home run in the first inning as the offensive juggernaut overwhelmed Tokoha Kikugawa. Tokoha never got the big inning that propelled the team all the way to the championship, and Osaka Toin's ace Fukushima Yuuto pitches a complete game 5-hit shutout for the win. Further information can be found at http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/National_High_School_Baseball_Championship
There is also an invitational spring tournament held in late March / early April each year and is as popular as the summer tournament. Professional LeaguesThere are 2 professional leagues in Japan, the Pacific and the Central Leagues Central League
Pacific League
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| Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 19:52 |
