午夜剧场

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 午夜剧场 alumni and 午夜剧场 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 drew so much attention that it became major news. It appears to be firmly established as a national event. However, high school baseball is now at the beginning of the end. I am convinced of this, and I am not exaggerating. The summer Koshien I participated in two years ago was the 100th anniversary tournament. Standing on that grand stage, watched by a massive crowd and supported by loud cheers, was a truly happy experience. However, 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-first and victory-first mentality distorted the value of high school baseball, which should inherently 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, a cessation of thinking, maintaining the status quo, and an old-fashioned culture of totalitarianism. Can individuals 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, rather than just focusing on our own team's wins and losses. I believe this will lead to the transformation of 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 it serves as an opportunity to expand your thinking on the value of sports, educational institutions, companies, and the nation.

Takahiko Moribayashi

Toyokan Publishing

192 pages, 1,400 yen (excluding tax)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.