After losing a game, you might think what this Japanese baseball team did was rather extreme. Then again, you might think this is pretty great.
Picture: Pii_nobu
High school baseball is a big deal in Japan. All the teams hope to make it into the national tournament held at Koshien Stadium, home of the Hanshin Tigers. The tournament is broadcast on television, and many of the star players eventually play professional baseball.
Winning is great, but sore losers suck! And after the Noshiro Shoyo High School baseball team was defeated, losing their chance to appear in the nationwide tournament, the entire team lined up by the side of the road to see off the supporters and fans who wanted them play. To each car, they said, “Thank you” and bowed.
Picture:baseball319_t
Since there was traffic, the players ended up standing there for around an hour. In the rain.
Japanese baseball is stricter than American baseball. In high school, all the players must shave their heads, so they keep cool in the summer, but also so they belong to a team — a cohesive unit. In professional baseball, you really don’t see Japanese players blowing bubble gum or spitting everywhere like Major League players do.
Picture:03ailove27
Online in Japan, many people praised their actions, saying they took defeat with honour. “I have such deep respect for this team,” wrote Twitter user baseball319_t. Another Twitter user wrote that this was “most polite team” around.
On 2ch, Japan’s largest blog, however, there were those who were critical of this, saying the players could have gotten sick, that they were overdoing it, and that this was even strange.
Picture:rurie_0713
It’s worth noting that the same team thanks and bows towards fans on the field (which most, if not all, Japanese teams do) as well as bows and thanks the cars as they leave after the game when it’s sunny and the team wins.
Extreme or not, if they are going to thank people when they win and the weather’s good, I guess, they should thank people when they lose and the weather’s crap.
Picture:03ailove27
Picture:03ailove27
There’s always next year, Noshiro. Best of luck.
決勝戦終了後、激しい雨が降る中、関係者や応援団のバスが全て帰るまで [Pii_nobu]
Comments
5 responses to “The Sport Of Japanese Apologising”
the Tyler Durden method
All you need to know.
Haha, that reminded me of Tom Selleck’s character in “Mr. Baseball” doing exactly the opposite.
If this is done whenever they play “Win or Lose”, then it’s not really apologising..
Also..
if this is Japanese apologising, where are the ritual disembowelments, the rivers of blood; you know all the things we have come to know and love from watching 60’s and 70’s japanese movies..
I guess an accurate headline is only for ethical journalists.