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Two Talkin’ Torakichi: Episode 003

Two Talkin’ Torakichi: Episode 003

Tora (虎) = Tiger Kichi (キチ) = short for kichigai (気違い) = lunatic We are… Episode 003: Baseball’s Back! The long baseball — and Two Talkin’ Torakichi — hiatus is over! Good to be back, isn’t it, my good man? Indeed over my friend!! Feels good to be back talking Tigers baseball and I couldn’t…

NPB Regular Season to Kick Off on June 19!

NPB Regular Season to Kick Off on June 19!

Japanese baseball fans, the wait is almost over. On the same day that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced an end to the nationwide state of emergency, Commissioner Atsushi Saito made an official announcement about the start of the season. All twelve teams will open the 2020 season in empty stadiums on Friday, June 19. This…

Summer Koshien Tournament Cancelled

Summer Koshien Tournament Cancelled

Source: Sanspo The Japan High School Baseball Federation held an online meeting on May 20 and determined that the summer tournament, scheduled to be held at Koshien Stadium from August 10, would be cancelled due to the spread of novel coronavirus. This is the third time in history that the tournament has been cancelled, and…

Remembering Japanese Baseball

Remembering Japanese Baseball

The way things have been going in the world recently, the timing of reviewing this book seems apt. Do you remember Japanese baseball? It really hasn’t been that long since we’ve watched the game, but it sure feels that way. This “time off” has given me an opportunity to read through a book that I…

Jet Balloon Launches: A Thing of the Past?

Jet Balloon Launches: A Thing of the Past?

Source: Newspost Seven According to Tokyo Shoko Research, the sixth company to declare bankruptcy in direct correlation to the spread of COVID-19 in the Tokyo area was toymaker Marusa Saito Gom Co, Ltd (Sumida Ward), manufacturers of rubber balloons sold at convenience stores, supermarkets and large retailers. Not only has it become increasingly difficult to…

Toreba no Toraba – Finding New Ways to Talk Tigers

Toreba no Toraba – Finding New Ways to Talk Tigers

Source: デイリースポーツ トレバーの虎場 Go away, COVID-19! You’ve kept baseball away from us long enough, already! It’s bad enough that you scared us with Shintaro Fujinami and friends, plus ex-coach Atsushi Kataoka. But to keep us baseball fans in limbo this long… well, that’s just cruel. (Not to mention millions of infections worldwide.) As a Hanshin…

Tigers Return to Practice; Interleague Cancelled

Tigers Return to Practice; Interleague Cancelled

Sources: Daily Sports (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) The Hanshin Tigers returned to the field on Wednesday after nearly three weeks of inactivity. Workouts have been staggered and limited to fewer players than usual. After having three players test positive for COVID-19 at the end of March (off the field), extra precautionary measures are being…

NPB Shutdown, Tigers Out of Hospital

NPB Shutdown, Tigers Out of Hospital

Sources: Daily / Sponichi / Daily Hanshin outfielder Hayata Itoh, who tested positive for COVID-19 on March 26, was released from hospital on April 5th, becoming the first of the three hospitalized Tigers to be discharged. He will spend an indefinite period in isolation in his home, and had this to say through the team:…