Japanese Baseball

​Baseball, 野球 or yakyū in Japanese, was introduced to Japan by American teacher Horace Wilson in 1872.  The first professional team, the Great Japan Tokyo Baseball Club, was created in 1934, yet high school baseball is the most popular sport in Japan. A two-week single-elimination high school tournament takes over a major league stadium twice a year. 

 

There wasn’t one thing in particular that changed, but everything around me did. I was surrounded by a language I couldn’t speak and signs I couldn’t read, yet baseball still made perfect sense. Being in a place where everything felt foreign was exhilarating. Everything was new and different. The energy, the rituals, the fans. It was inspiring. I could feel the passion for baseball here. It was a constant reminder for me of who I am and why I do this.

 

In Hanshin Koshien Stadium, the piercing sound of air raid sirens deafens the crowd as the players sprint to home plate, bow to their opponent, and begin the game. After a four-pitch walk, I drowned in the sea of choreographed fans and was deafened by their rehearsed chants. I watched all-out sacrifice to win. 

 

They say there’s no crying in baseball, yet crying after defeat is expected in Japan. If tears aren’t shed, it is sometimes perceived as not being dedicated or not caring enough.

 

My love for baseball is fueled by my dad and brother. I played catcher on my little league team around the same age my parents bought me my first point camera. I photographed throughout his youth, including a road trip from New York to Colorado, stopping at all the MLB stadiums in between. My mom always told me not to be afraid to take the photo. 

 

Credit to Grace Mangali for the assistance with writing. 

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