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Published: August 16th 2006
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Sapporo Dome
This futuristic marshmellow is one of my favorite stadiums. Last night I went to my first Japanese baseball game. This guy I knew got four tickets to the game provided by the manager of the home team. The home team around hear is the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. So all I knew was I was about to cheer for a team who loved there ham and wasn't afraid to fight for it.
I hopped in a cab in order to meet them at the stadium. I said that I wanted to go to the Sapporo Dome and said baseball while I did the universal bat swinging gesture. We were off and away. Apparently the Sapporo Dome is close to my place.
When I pulled up in the evening twilight I could see this futuristic marshmellow looming in the sky. I have always liked the Sapporo Dome even before I got here. It was my favorite of the 2002 World Cup stadiums. That is because the grass field stays outside the stadium, until gameday when they slide it into place inside. Anyway it was where the big England vs Argentina match took place. As I walked from the South gate to the North gate I saw all sorts of
World Cup memorobilia.
After waiting awhile for my friends they finally arrive. The game starts at 6pm. This I think is a much more sensable time to start a game. It is already in the bottom of the first as we take our seats. The place is electric with energy. There is a huge organized cheering section, but everyone in the entire stadium knows the chants. They only cheer and chant when there team is at bat. When the away team is at bat it is more or less silent. Although at this game there was a small, but vocal supporter section for the visiting Seibu Lions. What I thought was really cool was that the Seibu Lions and this one big slugger who hit two solo home runs and each time he hit it directly into the visiting supporter section. How's that for calling your shots?
The stars of the Ham Fighters are Shinjo and the third baseman Ogasawara. Shinjo used to play for the Mets. He is a flamboyent sort of a character. How strange to have hime revered here when back home he was just a quirkly little oddity. Okasawara was one of the stars
Dolphins
These are pulled out whenever Ogasawara is up to bat. of this years World Baseball Classic. Anyway he is the man!!! Why is he the man? Well because he bought everyone in the crowd beer. That's right the beer was half price all game thanks to Ogasawara. It was his way of thanking his tremendous fans. Can you imagine someone like Barry Bonds spending their own money in that fashion? No way.
The chants for the home team are incredible. Each player has their own chant. In fact each player comes out to their own song clip. One player's song is some really cheesy R&B song son by one of the singers from Destiny's Child. Now if you're really special you get your own inflatable. Not only does Ogasawara have his own chant like the rest of his teamates, but everytime he is up the crowd picks up these inflatable dolphins and wave them up and down.
No other player has an inflatable, accept the big black slugger that follows him in the batting order. And I kid you not, but his inflatable is a giant banana. Now this isn't done by everybody, but a sizeable chunk of the crowd does. I was absolutely flabbergasted by the blatant
Beer girls
I wanted to take one of them home. racism of it all. In European soccer crowds throw bananas at the visiting black players, but in Japan they cheer on their hometown black players with a giant inflatable banana. I'm not sure they even get it. I also wonder what the player thinks when he sees them. Is he fuming or amused?
During some of the breaks between innings cheerleaders come out. Sometimes they are wearing kimonos. During one break there was a giant rendition of YMCA, where even the security guards were given pom-poms to do all the trademark arm movements. Some of them looked like they hoped none of the friends saw them. Can you imagine one the rough and tough security guards from Shea Stadium doing the same. Fughetaboutit.
Also beer is not dispensed by some fat beer gutted guy screaming "Ice Cold Beer Here!!". Instead it is dispensed by this cute little Japanese girls in knee high socks and yellow visors with a mini-keg of beer on their backs. When you want a beer you call them over and they pour you a draft beer right there. I wanted to take one home with me. Seriously, how popular would they be at a party back home.
Anyway, game ends Ham Fighters win 5-2. This is the result of a 5 -un 8th inning during which a guy did a big grandstanding slide and bow routine as he slid across home plate. I'm sorry, but do that back home and next at bat the ball is going in your ear. Immediately after the game an elaborate stage appears and the MVP is interviewed to the delight of the crowd.
The crowd eventually flowed out and I made my way to the subway. The subway car was packed tighter than I have ever experience even in New York. That just kept stuffing more and more tiny Japanese people into the car and here I was tall as all hell me towering above them. I could see a sea of little black heads mashed together. Somewhere there was a small Japanese women getting crushed. How do I know this? Because while I didn't see her I heard her trademark Japanese female whimpers.
I hopped of the subway and went to a bar and had my first run in with the Japanese salaryman type. He was so drunk and bothering everybody. Back home that guy would have gotten tossed so fast or at least cut off. But not in Japan. Not only was he not cut-off, but he ordered a beer when he still hadn't finished the beer he was working on and they actually gave it to him. Crazy country.
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