Thinking Baseball: The Value Extracted Through Baseball Aimed for by Keio University High School

On the evening of August 5, 2018, I looked up from the field at the Alps stands, rejoicing in a walk-off victory at Koshien. I will never forget that sight. The cheering, centered around Keio University alumni and Keio students of all ages and genders, was tremendous from start to finish, and even as the manager, I found myself getting goosebumps during the game.

In 2020, the cancellation of the spring and summer Koshien tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic received so much attention it became major news. It appears to be firmly established as a national event. However, right now, high school baseball is at the beginning of the end. I am convinced of this, and I am not exaggerating. The summer Koshien we participated in two years ago was the 100th anniversary tournament. Standing on that grand stage, watched by a massive crowd and supported by thunderous cheering, was a truly happy experience. But can we reach the 200th tournament if things continue as they are? I feel nothing but a sense of crisis.

Koshien is everything; victory is everything. Hasn't this Koshien-supremacy and victory-at-all-costs mentality distorted the value of high school baseball, which should be cherished most? Now is the time for those involved in high school baseball to recognize its value and make efforts to enhance it further. If we cannot do that, high school baseball will likely continue to decline.

So, what is the greatest value of high school baseball? It is for high school students to realize the importance of thinking for themselves and to acquire the habit of thinking while experiencing victory and defeat, success and failure. Shaved heads, excessive greetings, forced long practice hours, and top-down relationships. These are symbolized by following precedents, suspension of thought, maintaining the status quo, and an old-fashioned culture of totalitarianism. Can people who will carry the future of Japan and the world be raised in such an environment? My answer is "No, not as things are now."

So what should be done? We must change high school baseball by having a broad perspective and looking toward the future, not just focusing on our own team's wins and losses. I believe this will lead to transforming not only high school baseball but also Japanese sports and society itself. I have compiled these thoughts into a single book. I hope it will be read not only by those involved in baseball but also by everyone leading society at large. I would be honored if this serves as an opportunity to expand your thinking on the value of sports, educational institutions, companies, and the nation.

Thinking Baseball: The Value Extracted Through Baseball Aimed for by Keio University High School

Takahiko Moribayashi

Toyokan Publishing

192 pages, 1,400 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.