| In recent years, the arrival in the
| |
| | six teams each. The introduction of
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| United States of players like Ichiro
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| | television in 1955 brought baseball to a
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| Suzuki and Hideki Matsui has enlightened
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| | wider audience in Japan as it did in the
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| Americans about the popularity of the
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| | United States.
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| sport in Japan. But most Americans don't
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| | There are a few differences in the style
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| know that Japan has almost as long a
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| | and rules of play between modern American
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| baseball history as the United States.
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| | and Japanese baseball. The ball used in
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| The exact date that baseball was
| |
| | Japanese baseball is smaller and lighter
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| introduced in Japan is not known, but it
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| | than the ball used in American baseball.
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| is attributed to American professor
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| | Also, unlike American teams, Japanese
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| Horace Wilson sometime between 1867 and
| |
| | teams are only allowed four foreign
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| 1912. The Japanese people were
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| | players per team, two position players
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| immediately intrigued by western
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| | and two pitchers.
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| baseball, seeing psychological
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| | Stylistically, Japanese coaches focus
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| similarities between baseball and their
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| | more on the fundamentals of bunting, base
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| native sports of sumo and martial arts.
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| | running and fielding whereas American
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| In the 1930s, a team of famous American
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| | baseball has come to rely heavily on
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| baseball players including Babe Ruth and
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| | pitching talent and long ball hitting.
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| Lou Gehrig toured Japan and played games
| |
| | Because of these differences, Japanese
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| against Japanese college players. Even
| |
| | baseball games typically have closer and
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| though the Americans won every game they
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| | lower final scores than American baseball
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| played, the series helped build interest
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| | games.
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| in baseball throughout Japan. The first
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| | In recent years, Japanese baseball teams
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| Japanese professional team was formed in
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| | have been hit hard by players defecting
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| 1934.
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| | to American teams. The Japanese league
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| During the years of World War II, as more
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| | and Major League Baseball have an
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| men joined the military, baseball fell
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| | agreement requiring the payment of fees
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| into disfavor and many baseball fields
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| | by American teams wanting to recruit
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| were turned into ammunition dumps or used
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| | Japanese players, but the rules do not
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| to grow food crops. However, after Japan
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| | apply to free agents. Japanese people
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| was defeated, Allied commanders assisting
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| | today are far more likely to watch an
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| in the rebuilding of Japan turned to
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| | American team on television than they are
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| baseball to boost morale and build
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| | a Japanese team. Players like Ichiro
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| stronger ties with the west.
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| | Suzuki are wildly popular in Japan and
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| In 1950, the Japanese league took on the
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| | are considered national heroes.
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| form it still holds today; two leagues of
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| |
|
