Special editions rolled off newspaper printing presses and Japanese fans who had taken time off work to watch the World Baseball Classic final celebrated their team’s victory over South Korea yesterday.
Workers crammed into bars and restaurants in Tokyo and other cities to watch the game which started at 10.30am local time yesterday.
Electronics stores selling big screen TVs were turned into public viewing galleries as the baseball-crazy nation stopped to watch as Japan defended its title.
“To defend the title and do it against South Korea is a great feeling,” said Soichiro Tabata, an office worker who watched the game at a Tokyo sports bar. “I took an extra-long lunch break but I think I’ll get away with it today.”
Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki, one of five major leaguers on Japan’s team, delivered the key hit with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th inning.
“Leave it to Ichiro,” fitness instructor Junji Hasegawa said after watching the game. “He started out slow in this tournament but came through when it counted most.”
Mass circulation newspaper Mainichi Shimbun printed a special afternoon edition with a headline recounting it simply: “Japan defends title, winning hit by Ichiro.”
On the inside page, the Mainichi outlined “Road to the final for the 29 Samurai” — Samurai being the widely adopted nickname for the team.
Yomiuri Giants pitcher Seth Greisinger, who has pitched for professional teams in both Japan and South Korea, said the Koreans have improved greatly in recent years, but Japan still has the edge over their Asian rivals.
“As you saw from this game, both countries are very competitive but I would say Japan still has a slight edge in terms of depth,” Greisinger said.
In Seoul, thousands skipped work and school to watch a large-screen broadcast of the game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, tossing confetti, waving banners bearing the names of their favorite players and chanting through the championship.
“I hope I won’t get into too much trouble for missing my lecture,’’ said Jang Hyun-shik, a 24-year-old Seoul university student who skipped a morning class to watch the game.
Across the capital, business came to a standstill as workers crowded around TV sets to watch the game, with shouts of joy echoing around each time South Korea scored a run.
The loss to Japan was a blow but many Koreans were quick to praise their baseball team.
“What a shame! It could have been such a morale-booster for South Koreans,” said Kim Jin-hee, a 47-year-old housewife. “But those young men fought so hard for the country. Good job.”
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS