I had already been chatting with the pair of 50-somethings in the izakaya in Tsu, already enjoying a glass full of the booze they offered. But it wasn't until they heard I worked for Yamasho that they really lit up. One man reached over to shake my hand when he heard this development.
That's because Yamasho had been playing at Koshien, the national high school baseball tournament. After their 15-inning tie no decision opener, which I attended, Yamasho lost, ended their run. Nevertheless, Mie still appears to be proud of their representatives to the Big Show. And why not. Making it that far is certainly an accomplishment.
My trip to Koshien began early Tuesday morning, when I filed on to bus 11 -- one of dozens making the trip -- and headed west for Osaka/Kobe. Six hundred of Yamasho's 800 students, and nearly all of the 60-some teachers were making the trek, along with members of the PTA and family members of the players.
In the cheering section, a brass band, cheerleaders and rank and file students sit quietly while the opposing team is up to bat, unless they want to politely cheer on the pitcher toward the end of an inning. But when Yamasho came up to bat, the entire section stands up and begins a cycle of cheers, each player earning his own theme.
Right in the middle of all of this, I tried to keep up, learning at least the clapping rhythms of the cheers and when to sit and stand. I applied and re-applied sun screen often, hoping to avoid a repeat of the beach party burn.
The whole experience was like a flash of excitement, bookended by marching to or from the bus and driving to or from Ise.
Back at the bar, it turns out the pair of 50-somethings were teammates at the Koshien tourney back in their high school days, also representing Mie.
AND now it's late Saturday afternoon and I'm heading to some kind of festival in a nearby town. Fireworks are involved. More later.
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