| The popularity of the game baseball has crossed | | | | part of the twentieth century saying that it leads |
| continents as far as the East Asian island of | | | | to mental pressure and other negative aspects |
| Japan. The exact date cannot be traced on when | | | | concerning the human body. |
| it really started as a sport in Japan, the estimated | | | | Matsutara Shoriki, an owner of a famous |
| era that it got into the mentality of the Japanese | | | | newspaper in Japan was in favor of the sport and |
| was during the Meiji Era which was said to occur | | | | was more influential than the other critics. He |
| during the timeline of 1867 to 1912. This era | | | | sponsored a game which brought famous players |
| served as Japan's modernization period. The | | | | like Babe Ruth and Jimmy Fox to play against |
| people adapted many western concepts from | | | | Japan's College league. The Americans won which |
| clothing, lifestyle and even sports. The game was | | | | inspired the fans. This event led to the formation |
| called Yakkyu by the Japanese which meant "field | | | | of the first professional Japanese Baseball team |
| ball". | | | | known as the Great Tokyo baseball club in |
| Baseball as a sport easily made it into the hearts | | | | December 1934. Shoriki was named as the father |
| of the Japanese because there is this | | | | of Japanese baseball. |
| psychological similarity of the ball game to the | | | | It was in 1936 that the first baseball league of |
| native sports of Japan namely sumo and the | | | | Japan was formed the Japan Pro-Baseball League |
| martial arts. If analyzed carefully baseball is a basic | | | | (PBL). |
| one on one battle between the pitcher and the | | | | When war broke out in Japan, the country |
| batter which is very similar to how the sport of | | | | suffered great physical damages, the people |
| sumo and martial arts focus on the same aspects. | | | | however used baseball to boost up the morale |
| Baseball requires timing, speed and precision, so | | | | when it resumed on the 1950s. The game was |
| does the native Japanese sports. | | | | even made more popular within this decade with |
| As the country developed into a modern Japan, | | | | the help of television. It opened the doors to a |
| so did the popularity of baseball. It started off in | | | | more diverse audience in the country. |
| schools and made its way to become leagues in | | | | Today as we see it in cable sports channels, |
| the country. But the journey was not that easy. | | | | baseball still is considered as one of the favorite |
| As we know, Japan is considered to be one of | | | | past time of the Japanese. Some Japanese |
| the most closely knit countries in terms of culture | | | | players are even made part of US teams. |
| and religion. Many criticized the sport in the early | | | | |