Baseball in Japan

Baseball (Japanese野球, Yakyu, dt " field ball" ) is one of the most popular sports in Japan since its introduction in America in 1872.

In addition to two professional leagues it is being played at colleges and middle and high schools across the country. The high schools determined twice a year at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya the best Japanese school team.

In addition to the baseball in their own country to get in Japan, the Japanese professionals in the American Major League Baseball much attention. Japan won in 2006 the first edition of the World Baseball Classic, the first competition of national teams of players from the top professional leagues, and was able to defend his title in 2009.

Professional Baseball

The professional baseball in Japan from the Association Yakyu Nippon Kiko (日本 野球 机构, Eng. Nippon Professional Baseball ) organized. The game is played in two leagues, the Central League (CL ) and the Pacific League (PL). At the end of the season the respective league champions compete against each other in the Nihon Series (English Japan Series).

Pacific League パシフィック·リーグ pashifikku rīgu

Despite the name, which can be a geographical division of the country suspect both leagues include teams from all parts of the country. The PL playing with a designated hitter ( DH), the CL without. The leagues of six teams playing from April to September in currently 144 games from the league championship. The number of games per season varied in the PL more games than in the CL were temporarily discharged. Since 2005 there has been an Inter League Series ( kōryūsen ) from currently 24 games, compete in teams of both leagues against each other. In Inter League games as well as in the playoffs the league affiliation of the host on the application of the DH rule decides.

The champion is determined at the end of the season in the Nihon Series (English Japan series), in which the best teams in both leagues must compete against each other to the Japanese championship in seven games. For a long time attended only the first table of the regular season at Nihon Series, since 2007 playing the three best teams in the Pacific and the Central League play-offs, the Climax Series. At first, plays the second at home against the third in three games a challenger of which may determine the league champion in five games against the league first.

2004 reached the third-placed Seibu Lions as not only the Japan series, but could also ultimately prevail against the Chunichi Dragons and was a Japanese master. In 2005, the Pacific League Chiba Lotte Marines Champion won out 4-0 games against the Hanshin Tigers in the Japan series, with numerous records were one or reorganized. This is the first time succeeded in one of a foreign coach supervised team to win the title. 2006 champion was the team of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from Sapporo who could wrestle the champion of the Central League Chunichi Dragons, with 4-1 games. 2007 won the Chunichi Dragons, who finished the regular season as the second of the Central League, the new edition of the Nihon Series last year against Nippon Ham with 4-1 games.

The dimensions of the field, the rules and playing style are slightly different from the American. So can end in a draw game when, after an extension of a maximum of three innings yet there is no winner. Also, tactical and played with less force than in the U.S.: Bunts Sacrifice and sellers are more frequently used, extra base hits and home runs in particular are somewhat rare.

Since 1951, held annually in July, the, or the All Star Game (オールスター ゲーム, ōrusutāgēmu, " All-Star Games" ) instead: the current three, in some years two matches between representative teams of the Central and Pacific League, which, by fans players and managers are determined in various electoral procedures. Played today with DH, matches end without renewal after nine innings in a draw. Unlike in the MLB All- Star games not decide on the right home at the beginning of the championship series, which alternates annually firmly between Central and Pacific League. Since the 1990s, the naming rights are sold, the games are therefore called at the time officially Mazda All Star Game. Up to and including 2011, the crews of the Pacific League won a total of 77 individual encounters, the Central League 71 and nine games ended in a draw. In 2013, a scandal over the air are some of the balls was known that led to that in the current season suddenly more home runs were scored.

Baseball in schools and universities

Most schools in Japan, there are baseball clubs. These can range from small clubs that play just for fun vary up to semi-professional groups. Twice a year there is a national high school tournament. Here, a regional champion is determined in qualifying tournaments in each prefecture, which may participate in Koshien Stadium, Nishinomiya at the final tournament. The games are being broadcast live on television and almost the whole nation followed the results tensioned. 2005 won the most important summer tournament for the second time in a row with the Tomakomai High School ( Komazawa, Hokkaido ) for the first time a team. The career of many Japanese baseball stars like Ichirō, Hideo Nomo, Hideki Matsui or started in Koshien; the tournaments are tracked not only by the fans but also the Scouts of the national and partly international professional teams.

Also between universities baseball competitions are held, including the discharged in spring and autumn League of Six universities of Tokyo, and there are regional and national tournaments.

History

Baseball was brought in 1872, shortly after the opening of the country, by Horace Wilson to Japan. At a time when Japan was open to innovations from the West, the game quickly became popular. It should, however, take over 30 years to the professionalization of the sport began.

The first exchange with the United States took place in 1905 when the team from Waseda University visited the United States. 1908 again showed the Reach All-American on his world tour with a stop in Japan where the American professional baseball. The first Japanese professional teams were established in 1920, but soon broke away again. 1934 was founded the predecessor of the Yomiuri Giants, the first still existing professional team. After quickly other teams were set up in 1936 could start the first Japanese baseball league.

After the game operation had to be suspended in the last year of the war, in 1945 the Japanese Baseball Organization (日本 野球 机构, nihon Yakyu Kiko ) founded new. As a result, the popularity of baseball in Japan continued to grow, for decades the sport every year attracts millions into stadiums.

In the Olympics, Japan was able to convince in baseball, 1992, Bronze Medal, 1996, won the silver medal. In addition, the Japanese baseball receiving increasing attention in the U.S., the " motherland of baseball ." Several Japanese pros play in the MLB, and 2004 Suzuki Ichirō could break with 262 hits in a season originating from the 1920 record set by George Sisler.

Professional teams

Central League

Pacific League