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It's not hard to be American when you stick out for being one
Friday night I didn't do anything. I worked on cropping photos from Hiroshima, and watched a baseball game on TV, and fell asleep.
Saturday, the 4th of July... I went to Kamagaya for the Fighters minor-league game against the Marines. And thanks to the current minor-league rosters, the only other American I saw all day was Lenn Sakata. Does he count? I didn't even talk to him, and I don't know if his wife was at the park because she didn't answer my email. Oops.
I did talk to Luis Jimenez after the game a bit, but he's not American either, even though he does speak English.
Anyway, the Fighters lost, since the Marines ni-gun kids hit a whole bunch of home runs (plus Yachiho Hoshino gave up like 5 runs in one inning). And I did get to see many of my favorite minor-league players. And Kazuhito Tadano threw an eephus pitch and struck out Takumi Kohbe. And I ran into some of my friends, and made a few new friends as well. Before the game, actually, a lady who I've met once before actually gave me a ticket to the signature table going on... so I got shikishi signed by Mitsuo Yosihkawa and Suguru Ichikawa! That was pretty neat. I was all serious going up to the table, I held out my shikishi, nodded and said "onegaishimasu!" and when they gave it back, nodded/bowed again like "arigato gozaimashita!" Kind of like my JHS students, actually.
After the game I tried my best to do player-stalking with some help from my friends but I also didn't want to miss the last bus, so I only succeeded in stalking Jimenez, and Yataro Sakamoto:
A few other guys went by but seemed to be in a bad mood or moving really quickly. I had taken a photo of Tanimoto in the food stand before the game and so he looked at me really weird as he went by. Not sure what was up with that.
So after the game, I went to the Tokyo Dome since it was convenient after taking a long bus ride to Nishi-Funabashi. Got a ticket in the Chunichi cheering area for the game on July 28th, which is Morino's birthday. I should be going to the Fighters game in Chiba that day, really, but... I figured for the sake of the traditional Fuck-the-Giants cheers with the Dragons-at-Tokyo-Dome, plus my favorite player's birthday, I could make an exception for once.
I wanted to get something American-like for dinner. Thought about walking to Kua'Aina but I kind of hurt my foot running on Friday with the volleyball club at school, so instead I went to the Baseball Cafe and got a cheeseburger and fries there. They were actually doing a July 4th event, but every time I asked when it'd start I was told "in a few minutes", so finally I gave up and left. Probably for the best. I did get a paper with the Star Spangled Banner translated into Japanese though -- pretty funny.
At the Tokyo Dome City arcade, I played a game of Pop'n, and because they had it, I played a game of Para Para Paradise, which I hadn't done in years. 1st mix doesn't seem to have a dancer in the background though and I've forgotten so many of the routines, though.
Going back to Kamagaya tomorrow, I think... so I should crash.
Saturday, the 4th of July... I went to Kamagaya for the Fighters minor-league game against the Marines. And thanks to the current minor-league rosters, the only other American I saw all day was Lenn Sakata. Does he count? I didn't even talk to him, and I don't know if his wife was at the park because she didn't answer my email. Oops.
I did talk to Luis Jimenez after the game a bit, but he's not American either, even though he does speak English.
Anyway, the Fighters lost, since the Marines ni-gun kids hit a whole bunch of home runs (plus Yachiho Hoshino gave up like 5 runs in one inning). And I did get to see many of my favorite minor-league players. And Kazuhito Tadano threw an eephus pitch and struck out Takumi Kohbe. And I ran into some of my friends, and made a few new friends as well. Before the game, actually, a lady who I've met once before actually gave me a ticket to the signature table going on... so I got shikishi signed by Mitsuo Yosihkawa and Suguru Ichikawa! That was pretty neat. I was all serious going up to the table, I held out my shikishi, nodded and said "onegaishimasu!" and when they gave it back, nodded/bowed again like "arigato gozaimashita!" Kind of like my JHS students, actually.
After the game I tried my best to do player-stalking with some help from my friends but I also didn't want to miss the last bus, so I only succeeded in stalking Jimenez, and Yataro Sakamoto:
A few other guys went by but seemed to be in a bad mood or moving really quickly. I had taken a photo of Tanimoto in the food stand before the game and so he looked at me really weird as he went by. Not sure what was up with that.
So after the game, I went to the Tokyo Dome since it was convenient after taking a long bus ride to Nishi-Funabashi. Got a ticket in the Chunichi cheering area for the game on July 28th, which is Morino's birthday. I should be going to the Fighters game in Chiba that day, really, but... I figured for the sake of the traditional Fuck-the-Giants cheers with the Dragons-at-Tokyo-Dome, plus my favorite player's birthday, I could make an exception for once.
I wanted to get something American-like for dinner. Thought about walking to Kua'Aina but I kind of hurt my foot running on Friday with the volleyball club at school, so instead I went to the Baseball Cafe and got a cheeseburger and fries there. They were actually doing a July 4th event, but every time I asked when it'd start I was told "in a few minutes", so finally I gave up and left. Probably for the best. I did get a paper with the Star Spangled Banner translated into Japanese though -- pretty funny.
At the Tokyo Dome City arcade, I played a game of Pop'n, and because they had it, I played a game of Para Para Paradise, which I hadn't done in years. 1st mix doesn't seem to have a dancer in the background though and I've forgotten so many of the routines, though.
Going back to Kamagaya tomorrow, I think... so I should crash.