Star Players from the Baseball Team Studied at HPL (Human Performance Laboratory)

Kazuki Obara

Faculty: Fourth-year student, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies

Alumnus of: Morioka Third High School (Iwate Prefecture)

Takaaki Kato

Associate Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies

Graduated from the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies in 1997, completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance in 2000, and completed the Doctoral Programs there in 2003.

An alumnus of the Keio University Athletic Association Baseball Club and a former player for the MLB Chicago Cubs Baseball Club.

Yuya Gunji and Kazuki Obara, both fourth-year students at SFC's Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, are members of the Athletic Association Baseball Club. They contributed to the baseball team's major success, winning the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League's 2019 autumn season for the 37th time (the first in three seasons) and also winning the Meiji Jingu Baseball Tournament (university division) for the fourth time (the first in 19 years).

As the baseball team's captain, Gunji led the team and also became the 14th player in the post-war era to win the Tokyo Big6 Baseball Triple Crown (the first from Keio since Yoshinobu Takahashi).

Starting in the spring of 2020, Gunji will join the Chunichi Dragons as a professional baseball player, and Obara will join NHK as an announcer.

The two lived together in the baseball team's dormitory, experienced campus life at SFC, and pushed each other to excel in their research seminar. We interviewed them along with their academic advisor, Associate Professor Takaaki Kato, who is himself an alumnus of SFC and the Athletic Association Baseball Club and has experience playing in the minor leagues for the MLB Chicago Cubs.

Obara Gunji and I are both members of the Takaaki Kato Seminar: HPL (Human Performance Laboratory), where we study ergonomics and sports psychology. We were also roommates in the baseball team's dormitory for three years.

Gunji We really had to put up with each other in the dorm for three years (laughs). Although our lives revolved around baseball, I think the time we spent at SFC concentrating on our research or relaxing with friends was very meaningful. Before enrolling, I wasn't very good with English or computers, so I was worried if I'd be okay...

Obara I was also nervous. My older brother, who had enrolled at SFC before me, warned me, "You won't be able to keep up if you can't touch-type on a PC keyboard."

Gunji But once I actually enrolled, I realized that anything is possible with effort. Many of the classes were unique and stimulated my curiosity. I was also able to meet many interesting friends, the kind of people I'd never met before.

Obara Everyone is unique, ambitious, and working hard in various fields. The friends I've made here are truly my greatest asset.

Gunji Our academic advisor, Professor Kato, has a rare background, having transitioned from a baseball player to a sports science researcher. As an alumnus of the Keio University Athletic Association Baseball Club, I was happy that he treated us like his juniors. He also understood the hardships of being on the baseball team.

Obara He didn't let us slack off on our research, though (laughs). Even during our days filled with baseball, he always gave us hints on how to steadily advance our research while collecting data.

Gunji I struggled with my graduation thesis topic and changed it several times. At first, I was researching motion analysis in baseball, but I wasn't getting the results I wanted. That's when Professor Kato suggested I try researching "baseball video games." From there, I arrived at the theme "The Relationship Between Virtual Research and Plate Discipline in Real Baseball." I'm exploring things like the differences in perspective and eye movements between pro gamers and ordinary people, and how that can be applied to actual baseball. I feel a great sense of fulfillment in tackling this new kind of research.

Obara I'm researching the swing in baseball batting. I'm investigating whether there are differences in swing motion based on skill level, and also looking into differences for each type of pitch. Baseball is truly a "sport of failure." Even professional players are considered top-tier if they can hit .300, and the batting averages for amateur players are even lower. I hope that my research, which involves collecting various data, can help improve the skills of amateur players, even just a little.

Gunji The individual research topics in our seminar are very open-ended; it's not just people like us studying sports. For example, some of the female students are researching topics like colored contact lenses and makeup.

Obara The male-to-female ratio is about 6:4, and with a large number of students, the atmosphere is very friendly and harmonious, isn't it?

Kato In research, it's important to find what you want to do yourself, rather than being told what to do. I think you both found interesting themes. By tackling both baseball and your research topics with equal dedication, you were ultimately able to lead fulfilling lives, weren't you? After graduation, you will both walk completely different paths, but I look forward to seeing your respective successes. Since you two have the good fortune to have led the baseball team to its first Tokyo Big6 championship in three seasons, I'm not worried about a thing.

Gunji Both Obara and I entered SFC through the AO (Admissions Office) entrance examination. At first, I was worried if I, having only ever played baseball, would be able to fit in at the university. But once I was here, I was surprised by the freedom. You can do anything. There's an atmosphere where everyone is trying to find what they want to do.

Obara That's right. My life, which had been dedicated to baseball, changed to the point where I chose to become an announcer after graduation. It feels like I discovered a new version of myself during my university life.

Gunji The research topic I ended up with was completely different from what I thought I would study when I first enrolled. Of course, it's fine to decide on something from the beginning, but it's also good to change. I think it's great if you can shape your ambitions and your approach by being influenced by the many friends around you.

Obara I hope new students won't be bound by what they did in high school or by preconceived notions. I want them to take lots of interesting classes in their first and second years. And I hope they will broaden their horizons by challenging each other alongside a diverse group of friends.

Kato There are truly all sorts of students on this campus. That's why it's necessary to have something you can say, "I won't lose to anyone in this." You two already have a solid foundation and possess the principle of "independence and self-respect" that Keio University advocates. If students can have that Keio mindset—the flexibility to use what they want to do as a starting point and adapt to the important things they discover after enrolling—I believe their university life will be even more enjoyable.

Takaaki Kato Seminar (Human Performance Laboratory)

Keio University Athletic Association Baseball Club