If you’re visiting H-TEN, you probably love the Hanshin Tigers. And you probably have a unique introduction to the team. Last year, several fans wrote in to tell their stories. Here are a few more interesting tales:
Lionel – Switzerland
I came to Japan for the first time in 2003, and stayed with a host family in Ashiya at the time. I knew absolutely nothing about baseball and I was actually convinced that I’d never get into it, but my Japanese family was huge Hanshin fans and explained everything to me while we watched every single match during dinner.
I went back home to Switzerland in October for a short time, Hanshin won the series that year and that was such a big thing that it made the news in my country (where the word baseball probably doesn’t exist). Soon after coming back to Japan, I started following the team on TV but it took me 2 or 3 years before I finally made it to Koshien. My friend’s coworker invited us. He amazed me because he brought in a huge picnic bag with beers and food, something that is unthinkable in my country. I found out there that Tigers’ fans were actually just like Osakans: fun, loud, crazy in many ways, passionate and sometimes kind of rude (but in a good way). This made me love Tigers as much as I love Osaka.
Ever since I’ve been extremely lucky as my work allows me to go to matches. I even had the chance to shoot photos for my work there in 2017 and 2018. While I was in Taiwan for a few years, Japan played Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
Having a Taiwanese wife, I’m very happy with Yen-Ching Lu’s signing during the 2017 offseason, but my heart stopped when I saw that Yoh (ex Nippon Ham) signed with the Giants. No matter how much I love the player, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to purchase Giants’ merch ^^
I took two French friends to Koshien, both knew very little about baseball but I converted them and they are now Tigers’ fans. Every time they come to Japan they ask me to take them back. I also took my parents there and my mother loved it. She laughed from the first minute to the last due to the crazy funny fans sitting next to us ^^
Mike – Pittsburgh, PA, USA
I want to say that it was 2004 and I was visiting my mother-in-law in Kashima, Osaka (she used to own a yakiniku restaurant). One night I was sitting there and I asked my wife “Hey, what is that on TV?” She replied, “Oh that’s Japanese baseball, the local team, Hanshin.” I remember watching a bit of the game while helping my mother-in-law. Before I knew it, the game was over and I watched (what I know now as) the hero interview with none other than Tomoaki Kanemoto as the hero. I remember a few times people would come into the restaurant wearing Tigers jerseys and towels, and talking about the game.
I was so eager to go to one but just did not have the time or chance. One thing I remember telling my wife was, “You know, if I’m gonna like a Japanese baseball team, I’ll pick Hanshin.” Of course, she asked me why (because she is a Giants fan) and I said, “Back home, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers both wear black, yellow and white. So if I like Hanshin, I don’t have to change any colors, I can keep it all the same.” We laughed about it, as did her mom and dad, but it made sense and I stuck to it.
I returned back to the states and lost track of all the Japanese baseball games until 2011. I don’t think I got fully engrossed in it again until H-TEN started a page on Facebook. Then I co-hosted the podcast for the first 20+ episodes, and since then I have been glued to any internet site or TV watching Hanshin win, lose and draw. I must say, I am very passionate about my sports teams, so I fit right in with the Hanshin fans, as they are the same. (That being said, I’ll probably never climb the Koshien fence to yell at a player or coach or throw my bats on the field in protest.) Hanshin and I will be together until my last breath.
Joe S. – New York
I came from New York to Wakayama in 1991, planning to stay for three to six months – but that’s another story. Being a big Mets fan I started to look around for a team I could support. The first player to catch my eye was Tom O’Malley (1991-94) – he had been a Met for the 1990 season, so he was a familiar face! Then I started to look into the team. Scrappy fighters that unfortunately don’t always come through at the end – though their crazy fans still support them no matter what.
Their arch-rival Yomiuri Giants have deep pockets and always snap up the best talent… Wait a second, this sounds just like the Mets and the Yankees! Then upon my first trip to Koshien, I was hooked – what a great historic stadium with cool energy and what wild fantastic fans! I was walking through the crowd when some fan saw me and yelled, “Hey, O’Malley!” – as I was blond and a bit heavyset. I smiled and waved, no turning back. There have been some great years since then and some sad ones but as a diamond fan club member it’s 勝っても負けても虎命ーWin or lose, the Tigers are in my heart!
Aaron – Great White North
I first came to Japan in 2001 for 6 weeks, and by chance I was staying in Nishinomiya. I had my first Tiger’s experience around that time. People were so lively and jovial, singing and cheering for hours. As I was still a starving student, I had to go back to Canada and work and finish my studies.
The next time I came back to Japan was in 2003. I was in Nishinomiya again and this time I officially became a fan. I still didn’t have much money but I made friends with one of the trainers for the team, and he got me in touch with Jeff Williams and George Arias. They would always leave a ticket for me at gate 12, so during the 2003 season, I saw most of the games for free.
The fans were all so warm and welcoming. I was dressed in my yellow and black best and cheered like a lunatic for Hanshin. I could not speak Japanese at that time but everyone who was sitting in my area made me feel welcome. Oh, did I mention that I went to all the games alone? Does that sound pathetic? Didn’t matter, ’cause I had Tigers fever. They were even league champs that year.
After the end of the 2003 season, I went back to my country. I came back to Japan in 2005, this time I had money and went to as many games as I could. Funny enough, they won the league championship again. I guess I was a good luck symbol for them. They haven’t won anything since 2005 but hopefully, they will win it all one of these years. Win or lose, Tigers pride!
Congratulations to Aaron, who won the random draw for a prize! For the rest of you, your contributions to H-TEN are always welcome, and are at times compensated with merchandise!