Baseball In Japan

Yakyu

Nomo, Ichiro, and Hideki Matsui

• Nomo left for Major Leagues first

• Ichiro is the biggest loss – “Ichiro Syndrome”

• Proved a position player could play

• Many Japanese players are leaving, or looking to leave

• Threatens to turn Japanese Baseball into farm system

Conformity

• Depending on the manager, there are different rules about conformity.

• Ichiro, when with a certain manager, was forced to change his unique swing.

• Japanese like team aspect of game, more than the individual performance.

Game field Demeanor

• The Japanese are more “determined” when they are on the field.

• The Japanese do not view baseball as a game

• Baseball is spiritual• US taught to have fun

Fans

• The Japanese crowds are very regimented.

• Loyalty and Commitment

• Fans bring musical instruments

Strategy

• Japanese fans like the time between pitches.

• Japanese = Defensive

• American = Offensive

• Gossip

National High School Tournament

• National High School Tournament in Spring and Summer• Broadcast live on TV and radio• “Beauty of Defeat”• Tabloids love to print articles about action and players

Competitive Spirit

• The Japanese have a very competitive spirit

• Japanese fans are excited Japanese players are having success in the MLB

• Japanese like fact of success in the Major Leagues

• American’s for a long time have had the “strongest” everything

The US and Japan• Amateur leagues

have national tournaments at some levels

• American Legion is 16-19

• No “tabloid” rumors started about kids

• Baseball receives 1/4-1/2 of sports viewer-ship in America

Umpire Relations

• Arguing is quite frequent and readily accepted in Japan

• Umpires have much less control over the games than they have in MLB

• Mike Di Muro, an American umpire, worked in Japan