| Sometime between 1867 and 1873, an American | | | | local leagues and for a national |
| professor, Horace Williams, at what is now | | | | championship. |
| Tokyo University, is credited with | | | | |
| introducing baseball to the country of Japan. | | | | There was a professional women's baseball |
| Williams came to Japan to teach English and | | | | league as well. Beginning in 1952, the |
| American History, but his sports interest is | | | | women's teams took part in semiprofessional |
| what has impacted Japan the most. Fellow | | | | leagues until early in the 1970s. The Japan |
| American Albert Bates, teaching at Kaitaku | | | | Women's National Team took silver medals at |
| University, organized the first baseball game | | | | the Women's Baseball World Cup in both |
| in Japan. | | | | appearances. |
| | | | |
| The first Japanese baseball club, the | | | | Japanese youngsters in the Little League |
| Shinbashi Athletic Club Athletics, was | | | | World Series have won five of the |
| organized in 1878 by a former U.S. student | | | | championships and have placed second three |
| who was a fan of the Boston Red Sox. By 1896, | | | | times. As of 2007, the Japanese championship |
| the skill of the still amateur players was | | | | team will not be required to win an Asian |
| demonstrated during the first international | | | | regional competition, but will proceed |
| baseball game played between Ichiko team from | | | | directly to the Little League World Series. |
| Tokyo's First High School and an American | | | | |
| team organized at the Yokohama Country and | | | | The Big Six University League was the |
| Athletic Club. The Japanese had challenged | | | | organizational structure for baseball in |
| the Americans to the game and were not taken | | | | Japan from the 1900's through the 1930s. Now, |
| seriously. The American spectators jeered and | | | | at the university level, the All-Japan |
| booed the Japanese at the thought that they | | | | University Championship is an annual |
| could beat Americans at their 'national | | | | competition for school teams. |
| pastime.' The Japanese team soundly defeated | | | | |
| the Americans. | | | | In the search for stronger competition, a |
| | | | Japanese team from Waseda University traveled |
| During the years between 1903 and 1934, | | | | to the United States in 1905. Three years |
| amateur baseball in Japan was wildly popular. | | | | later, the baseball team from the University |
| University teams were vying with each other | | | | of Washington returned the visit and played |
| in the Sokeisen, between Waseda University | | | | in several games that became the pattern of |
| and Keio University; and at the Summer | | | | international interest in the sport of |
| Koshien or National High School Baseball | | | | baseball. 21 American college teams made the |
| Championship as well. The National High | | | | trip to Japan and several Japanese teams made |
| School Baseball Invitational Tournament or | | | | the return journey to the United States. |
| Spring Koshien began in 1924. Many senior | | | | Professional players from the United States, |
| high schools in Japan participate in the | | | | including Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, also toured |
| National High School Baseball Championship | | | | and played exhibition games in Japan. |
| and or the National High School Baseball | | | | |
| Invitational Tournament. The tournament is | | | | In 1934, during Ruth's visit, 75,000 |
| named after Koshien Stadium which was built | | | | spectators jammed into the Koshien Stadium to |
| in 1922 and is the oldest of the Japanese | | | | see the MLB stars. Internationally, the Japan |
| stadiums. The stadium seats 55,000 people and | | | | national team has won three Olympic medals, |
| still has grass, unlike most other stadiums | | | | two Intercontinental Cups, and captured |
| in the country which have astro-turf. | | | | medals in six Baseball World Cups. The |
| | | | outstanding star quality of the Japanese |
| Professional baseball in Japan can be traced | | | | baseball players has now made many Americans |
| back to 1920, although the first professional | | | | newly aware of the history of Japanese |
| league was not organized until 1936, | | | | participation in the American national |
| consisting of six teams. The first | | | | pastime. In particular, activities of Ichiro |
| professional team was created by Shouriki | | | | Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, and other players from |
| Matsutarou and is now known as the Yomiuri | | | | Japan who have been playing in the major |
| Giants. The current highest Japanese | | | | leagues have heightened interest in the |
| professional competition is Nippon | | | | history of the sport in Japan. |
| Professional Baseball, created in 1949 | | | | |
| consists of four leagues. The year 2005 | | | | Intense nationalism in Japan in the years |
| marked the foundation of the Shikoku Island | | | | previous to World War II saw some major |
| League. Japan fielded a franchise known as | | | | changes in baseball in Japan, but following |
| the Tokyo Dragons as part of the now defunct | | | | the War, the interest in baseball play |
| Global League in 1969. An effective minor | | | | resumed and has been an integral part of |
| league in Japan is formed by corporate | | | | Japanese life ever since. |
| sponsorship of employee teams that play in | | | | |