First Plate Game in the Books
It is Saturday night here in Tokyo. I have just completed my first plate game in the World University Baseball Championship. It was a 15-0, six-inning barn-burner where Japan destroyed China. The result was not a surprise. The fact it took six innings was. In international play, a 15 run lead after five complete and a 10 run lead after 7 complete (when playing nine innings) is the norm.
As has been the case here it was very humid throughout the game. Fortunately in Tokyo it has not been as hot as in Kumagaya. When we got to Tokyo someone from the Tournament Committee told me that Kumagaya, where we stayed at Rissho University, is 5 to 7 degrees warmer on average than Tokyo. Add in the humidity and you can see why I was worried about handling the heat and humidity. I felt very comfortable tonight, other than sweat pouring down my face throughout the game. One thing that is very neat: we get wet facecloths, soaked in cold water, to wipe our faces down after the third inning and at the fifth inning field grooming break. Water is always available. Another thing is we get food served to us at the ballpark before games (about two hours before) and after the games a “cold plate” is served to us. I have learned to master the chopsticks while I have been here so I have been able to eat well enough.
Another thing: between the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth I was taking to the Japanese coach about some lineup changes and I hear someone call: “Elemer Jerkovits!!!!” from the stands. I looked over and there was Tom Valcke. Tom currently is in Japan for the World Children’s Baseball Fair. He used to live in Regina and worked at times for both Sask Baseball and Sask Sport, as well as the World Children’s Baseball Fair when it was held in Regina in 2000. He is currently the Executive Director of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame located in St Thomas, Ont.
This afternoon, prior to my game, I walked around the ballpark area and came across the following: a major track and field facility that doubles as a soccer pitch; indoor batting cages; six ball diamonds where the outfield areas of one field overlap another; and a ball diamond that doubles as a driving range. The first base side seating has been removed and a three-tiered driving range is there where people hit golf balls into a high netting in “left field”. Very neat.
I also came across the Meiji Shrine. The Shrine is where the Meiji Emporer lived with his wife during his 45 year reign. It is neat. I didn’t go into the Shrine as I didn’t have too much time and I didn’t want to get too tired before my game.
I have first base on the Cuba-Japan game on Sunday afternoon.
Go RIDERS against Hamilton Saturday night.
Elemer
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Sounds like things are going well Elemer, it must be quite the experiance. Thanks for the updates.