USWNT 1 at Nadeshiko Japan 1 - Kirin Challenge Cup - April 1, 2012

The Kirin Cup has been a annual tournament for the Japanese men's team since 1992. Each year, they invite two other nations to participate in a round-robin that usually takes place after the European season finishes. These tournaments are popular in Japan, but not given much notice elsewhere; last year was particularly forgettable as Peru and the Czech Republic joined the hosts in a 3-way tie for the Cup as all three fixtures ended 0-0.

Kirin also sponsors a series of single friendly matches throughout the year, with each known as the Kirin Challenge Cup. Until recently, these have been exclusively for the men's team, but with Nadeshiko Japan winning the World Cup last year, women's soccer is beginning to gain recognition here. Sensing a chance to exploit this newfound popularity, the JFA has created a Challenge Cup featuring three of the top women's teams in the world with the US and Brazil coming here for a three-game tournament. The first game was a rematch of last year's World Cup final between Japan and the Americans and was played in Yurtec Stadium in Sendai.

I had visited this stadium over two years ago to see the Vegalta Sendai in an Emperor's Cup match and was glad to return after it had been damaged in the earthquake last year. I was surprised at the number of fans walking from the subway station, the final crowd was 15,159, about 75% of capacity, a bit more than I expected. I didn't have a ticket and was debating between the 5,500 yen reserved seat or 2,500 yen general admission option. As I checked the seating map, I saw a young guy trying to part with a ticket. It turned out he had an extra GA ducat and was selling it for the advanced ticket price of 2,000 yen. Deal! I told him that I would be rooting for Japan as I was Canadian rather than American and he invited me to sit with him and his two friends. When I saw that his pals were two very cute young ladies, I didn't need much persuasion.

Ren, Kana, and Akane are Vegalta Sendai supporters who travel the country watching their team on the road during the J League season. They were so happy that I took the ticket off their hands that they bought me a giant yakitori stick and generously shared their beer with me. With four of us, we were forced to sit high in a corner but still not that bad a seat as the stadium is rather cozy.

We spent the pre-game chatting about various cities and travel experiences. Unlike me, they drive everywhere in Japan, and it got me to thinking about doing my own true road trip before I leave. The big problems are finding parking in the big cities for a reasonable price and expensive toll roads that make the trains a better alternative when traveling alone. If I could bring along a couple of friends, it would be a lot easier to choose the car option. Nagoya next week anyone?

After both national anthems were sung, there was a moment of silence for the victims of last year's disaster as the players stood around the midfield circle (above). It was a good touch and nobody here screamed anything as they often do during these moments back home. Once respects had been paid, the game kicked off.

The Game

The US had the better chances early but Japan opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. The play started when Nahomi Kawasumi lobbed a pass to defender Yukari Kinga playing deep in the box. Another Japanese player was offside at the time but did not participate in the play so there was no flag raised. Kinga passed to Yuki Nagasato whose shot was saved by Hope Solo (below punching her teammate in the head), but the ball slid away from her and Kinga pounced on the rebound, chipping it home. The Japanese gained confidence after the goal but couldn't add to it and the half ended 1-0 Nadeshiko.

The second half saw some good action as both teams traded chances with several near misses and good saves by both keepers. The US kept the pressure up and were rewarded when Alex Morgan converted what looked to be a nifty pass from Carli Lloyd. The lineswoman ruled offside though and the referee went over to discuss. It turned out that Lloyd has been tackled by Shinobu Ohno, whose touch sent the ball to Morgan. No offside in this case and the goal stood.

Japan had a late chance to tie with a corner but Kawasumi drove a shot over the net from the top of the box and the squads settled for a 1-1 draw, a fitting result. Highlights can be found here.

After the game, the Japanese players did a lap around the stadium so that fans could take pictures.

Women's soccer is much different than the men's game, with fewer fouls and less posturing. There were no cards in this match and both teams clearly respect each other. The technical play was good too; sitting in the end you could see each team's strategy at work as they tried to poke holes in the opposition defense through long balls or criss-cross passing. Despite the frigid weather, I really enjoyed the experience, including meeting my new friends, which is often the best part of these roadtrips.

Notes

America beat Brazil 3-0 yesterday in Chiba in a game that was moved from an 8pm start to 4pm as the Kanto area was pummeled by a massive storm. All tickets were refunded and entrance was free, but I wasn't about to leave the comforts of home in the raging wind. The tournament finishes with Brazil and Japan doing battle tomorrow in Kobe.

Next Up

I'm flying to Sapporo tomorrow where I will watch the Nippon Ham Fighters hosting the Orix Buffaloes in my first visit to the Sapporo Dome. Saturday will see recently promoted Consadole Sapporo taking on last year's champs Kashiwa Reysol, again at the dome. Looking forward to seeing this venue in both of its guises. Check back on the weekend for recaps.

Best,

Sean

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Chiba Lotte Marines 4 at Rakuten Golden Eagles 2 - April 1, 2012

The Rakuten Golden Eagles are the newest franchise in the NPB, having been formed in 2005 to replace the Kintetsu Buffaloes, who merged with the Orix Blue Wave. The irony of replacing the Blue Wave is unfortunately noted here as the Eagles are based in Tohoku, which was devastated by the double disasters from last year. Sendai is the base city for the team and it sustained heavy damage from the earthquake before its coastal areas and airport were inundated by the tsunami. Kleenex Stadium was not spared, suffering structural damage that was only recently completely repaired. Last season the team played their first few home series in the Kobe area before returning home, becoming a symbol of the area's rebuilding efforts in the process.

Kleenex Stadium Miyagi

Kleenex Stadium Miyagi was opened in 1950 and actually served as the home ground for the Lotte Orions (now the Chiba Lotte Marines) between 1973 and 1977. However, it was very dated when the Eagles were granted a franchise and much renovation was done to modernize it in time for their first game. In fact, when I first went I initially thought it was a new stadium, a testament to the great job done here.

The stadium is located about a 20-minute walk from the main train station but if you prefer you can take the JR Senseki line two stops to Miyaginohara (above), which is known as "Baseball Station" due to its proximity to the ballpark. From there, it is just a 5-minute stroll to the stadium, which lies next to a track and field facility.

Gates open two hours before game time, but there is so much going on outside the ballpark that getting there early is worthwhile. First, there are dozens of concessions that sit outside the actual stadium and offer everything from hot wine to the local delicacy, gyutan (cow's tongue). For those without a taste for the unusual, there was even a KFC stand. Take your time to walk around and see all the possibilities; you can easily have two meals here. There are even some seating areas where you can grab a table and relax with your lunch.

The information desk has a great brochure listing all the spots both inside and outside the gates. My recommendation is the steak don on level 3, it is crowded and takes a while to get the food, but was good value for the price. The Eagles Nest Sports Lounge was very popular as well, likely for providing some indoor warmth on this chilly April afternoon.

Fans also arrive early to participate in many special giveaways. I noticed 3 or 4 large lines, each one for a different promotion. Often one needs to be a member of a fan club or have a special type of ticket to participate. There is always a guy holding a sign indicating the end of the queue, if you are not sure, you can ask him what the line is for.

The mascots make their appearance signing autographs the kids, who also have the option of riding a small train around the stadium for a small fee. You can also find a home plate and bases buried beneath thick plastic windows; there doesn't seem to be any meaning behind them and the windows were covered with condensation so I couldn't read the plaque inside. The Eagles have a very active cheer squad known as the Angels consisting of about 16 young ladies who dance on the field during the game. Beforehand they have a couple of shows on a stage located near gate R2, where you can also find the usual hordes of perverts with their zoom lenses.

Tickets here vary widely in price as Rakuten has adopted the variable pricing method, with five categories of game, ranging from Platinum down to Value, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze rounding out the list. I don't know why they didn't use a cheap metal like copper for the Value category; this inconsistency is highly bothersome. Anyway, the most expensive ticket is called a Golden Seat (yet again with the metals) and costs 7,700 yen for the Platinum games and only 3,100 yen for the Value games. So go to the Value games if you can. There are 18 different seating options, so the ticket matrix lists 90 possibilities, which I will not detail here. My advice is to sit in the infield A seats or upper level seats on the 3rd base side. One good thing about Kleenex Stadium is that the screen doesn't extend all the way down the lines so if you are sitting high enough, you can have an unobstructed view of the field from these seats.

I bought a field level seat from where the view was poor (see picture above), so I moved to a better location after a few innings. The field level seats have their own gate and no concessions as well as no other way to access the rest of the stadium. Fortunately, you can move back and forth between the main stand and the field seats as long as you tell them that you are going to get some food. Once I found a seat I liked, I planted myself down. A few innings later, a staff member inquired about my ticket and I said I didn't have one for this area. She said that's fine, but please move if the seat holder returns. Well duh!

Getting around the main part of the stadium is a pain. The walkway has two gates that force you to go up some stairs and back down on the other side. These gates are easily moved and vendors are constantly passing through them, so it makes no sense that fans can't have the same access.

The inner concourses are quite small, particularly the third floor which is heavily crowded before the game as fans line up for food. Capacity here is a 23,000, about half that of the Tokyo Dome, but it certainly seems much more busy with the small floor space.

There are two scoreboards: the main one is the typical Japanese one with lineups and the linescore, but there is also a video screen that shows detailed stats as the game progresses. Definitely something I'd like to see at other parks.

Some fans who won a contest are allowed on the field before the game to play catch, and all fans are invited on the field afterwards, although you have to wait 30 minutes after the game finishes.

Just before the game starts, an eagle flies in from beyond the outfield fence to first base, a majestic sight that is somewhat ironic given the team rarely soars into the playoffs (only one playoff appearance in seven seasons).

When I first visited here in 2005, I thought it was the best ballpark in Japan, but upon reflection, I think I overstated things then. The food selection is great and there are lots of cool things around, but the location is not that good and once inside, moving around is a hassle. Even with these problems though, it is better than the average domed stadium and certainly worth a trip to Sendai to see the Golden Eagles.

The Game

A very interesting pitching matchup was the story here with 43-year-old Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi taking the hill for the Eagles against star rookie Takahiro Fujioka (below), who led his Toyo University team to the past two national championships. I saw him pitch one of the games during their 2010 run where he threw a complete game. Drafted 3rd overall, Fujioka was also coveted by the Eagles, but the Marines won the special lottery and were ecstatic to get him. (In Japan, the first round of the draft is governed by different rules: each team picks a player they want and if two or more clubs desire the same guy, a draw is held to decide which team gets him.) As this was only the third game of the season, this would be Fujioka's first pro start.

The Marines had won the first two games and started quickly here when Ikuhiro Kiyota led off with a double. Naturally, the next batter sacrificed and already I was annoyed with Japanese baseball. Why sacrifice when the first batter doubled? Challenge the pitcher! When former Chisox Tadahito Iguchi (below) popped out on a great over-the-shoulder catch by second baseman Kensuke Uchimura, it looked like the sacrifice would be for nought, but clean-up hitter Josh Whitesell singled and the Marines had the early lead.

Fujioka came on to much anticipation from the Lotte fans and promptly retired the first three batters, including two strikeouts. During the game, he showed a strong fastball touching 150km/h (93 mph) as well as a very good curve ball that had a couple of hitters missing badly. When the Marines added two more in the third including an RBI single by Iguchi, it looked like Fujioka had enough support. He yielded a run in the 5th on a walk, double, and Uchimura groundout, but Lotte got it right back in the 6th when Kiyota singled home Shota Ishimine who had doubled.

Fujioka continued unabated, retiring 10 in a row (that's Jose Fernandez making an out above) before giving up a single to lead-off batter Ryo Hijirisawa with two out in the 8th. After Ginji Akaminai (who follows Ichiro's annoying habit of going by his first name) got a lucky double that scored Hijirisawa, Fujioka was finally pulled. His scoreline was excellent, only 4 hits, 2 ER, and 6 K's while throwing 128 pitches. No rookie babysitting here; I was very impressed. Fellow rookie Naoya Masuda got out of the mini-jam and closer Yasuhiko Yabuta pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season to give the Marines the 4-2 win and the series sweep. It is the first time in 55 years that they have won three in a row to start the season.

A fairly entertaining game that will be remembered for the brilliant debut of Fujioka. No doubt Lotte fans have forgotten last year's last place finish and are dreaming of a return to the championship glory years of 2010, led by their new, prized rookie. Should be a fun summer in Chiba!

Notes

After the game I went to Yurtec Stadium to watch a women's soccer friendly between the US and Japan. I'll post about that tomorrow.

Best,

Sean

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Seattle Mariners 3 at Oakland Athletics 1 (11) - March 28, 2010

I wasn't planning to write a post for the MLB Season Opener, but the pre-game ceremony was interesting, so I've decided to do a short recap after all.

This was the fourth time that Major League Baseball began its season in Japan. This year was special though, as Mariners’ star right fielder Ichiro Suzuki would be playing his first meaningful MLB games in his home country. Tickets were a hot commodity and prospective buyers had to enter a lottery in February for a chance to win tickets before they went on sale to the general public. I was fortunate to win a pair of seats down the right field line and my girlfriend accompanied me to a sold-out Tokyo Dome.

As this was an MLB game, extra security precautions were required. First, a small plastic bag was handed out and all fans were instructed to place metal objects into this plastic bag before going through the metal detector. Of course, carrying two cameras, binoculars, and a cell phone, there was no way everything would fit into the tiny bag, but it didn’t matter. At the gate, my knapsack was scanned by an earnest young man who asked permission to use his white-gloved hands to check the belongings. The check was cursory at best, more to ensure that I did not have any cans or bottles rather than anything dangerous.

I had chosen the line that bypassed the walkthrough metal detector; instead I was greeted by a cute young lady who performed another check using a wand. Interestingly, she only scanned my body and not the knapsack, finding nothing of interest and allowing me to finally enter the dome.

My seat was far down the right field line, in the 8th row of the upper deck. Despite being about 400 feet away, we were duly warned before the game to be aware of foul balls coming our way. If you were to be hit by a foul ball sitting this far from the plate, you deserve your injuries, but regardless, no foul balls came remotely close to us.

As game time approached, Amy and Joe Franz, Mariner season ticket holders and inventors of the Ichimeter, the signboard they use to count up Ichiro's hits, were shown on the big screen to much applause. They are probably more famous here than most of the Athletics.

The pre-game ceremony was focused on Tomodachi, a new initiative that is designed to deepen relations between the US and Japan after the 2011 disasters. The US Army Band from nearby Camp Zama marched onto the field and a large flag for each nation was unfurled.

Lights were dimmed and there was a lengthy video dedicated to three heroes from March 11, including Taylor Anderson, an American teacher who lost her life in the tsunami after ensuring that her students were safe. Derek Jeter, Bobby Valentine, and Cal Ripken Jr. each narrated one story. When the video ended, a Tomodachi flag was revealed between the other two to symbolize the growing friendship between the two nations.

When the home-team Athletics took the field, they were joined by some young baseball all-stars from the Tohoku region. After that, the national anthems were sung, with famous actor/singer Ryotaro Sugi performing Kimi Ga Yo much to the surprise of the locals, who gasped when his named was announced.

With the ceremonies complete, it was time for the baseball season to start. Brandon McCarthy took the mound for the A’s and at 7:08, threw a called strike to Chone Figgins. Two batters later, Ichiro approached the plate and the crowd erupted with a long ovation. It is difficult to overstate just how much of an icon he is here in Japan; he is the most successful athlete to have played overseas and a great source of pride for Japanese people. Every pitch to him saw thousands of flashbulbs going off. He was not distracted in the least, knocking an infield single off of McCarthy’s glove (that's him above, reaching first on another infield hit later in the game).

Coco Crisp flies out

I’ll avoid a detailed recap here, other than to say that it was a great game with the Mariners winning 3-1 in 11 innings. Ichiro going 4/5 and adding the insurance RBI. It was just my type of game, with good pitching and aggressive hitting, which meant that not a single walk was issued on the evening. Cuban rookie Yoenis Cespedes (above) received mixed reviews in his first MLB action as he smashed a double in 3 at-bats, while striking out twice. The game officially took 3:04, but the scoreboard operator let the timer run a few extra seconds I guess.

Next Up

I've added another couple of Japanese destinations to my schedule in order to get all the NPB stadiums reviewed for Stadium Journey. This weekend I'll travel to Sendai to watch the Rakuten Golden Eagles host Chiba in an afternoon affair before moving over to Yurtec Stadium to watch the US Women's National Soccer team take on Nadeshiko Japan in a rematch of last year's World Cup final. I've also added a night in Fukuoka on April 10th for a Hawks game. In between, I'll be in Sapporo for a few days to catch the Fighters and Consadole, both tenants of the Sapporo Dome. Check back often for updates.

Best,

Sean

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Okinawa Options - Part 2

In late 2010, I visited Okinawa and posted a short summary of some things to do on the southern half of the island.

This time I rented a car and spent the week up north, which is less populous but has a number of interesting attractions that draw the tourists. If you want to get away from the masses, there are some beautiful and secluded beaches. It was too cold to spend much more than a few minutes in the water, but warm enough to enjoy a few hours on the sand, with nobody else in sight.

Ocean Expo Park/Churaumi Aquarium

On the western side of Motobu is Ocean Expo Park, a large open-air complex with several activities, many of which are free. At the north end is the Ocean Zone, with a dolphin lagoon as well as a regularly scheduled dolphin show, a manatee exhibit, and a turtle tank which allows views from underwater. I don't think the turtles enjoy being gawked at though, judging by this fellow's expression.

The south end of the park is the Flowers and Greenery Zone, with a tropical arboretum and an orchid house. In between is the History and Culture Zone, with a native Okinawan house and a culture museum. There is a lot to see here, but the highlight is undoubtedly the Churaumi Aquarium, opened in 2002 and still sparkling. Regular admission is 1,800 yen but after 4 pm this drops to 1,260 yen and the crowds begin to clear up around then as well, making it the best time to arrive.

There are a number of exhibits here, including a coral reef with hundreds of species of fish that saves you the trouble of scuba diving to see them. Most notable though is the Kuroshio Sea tank, which contains nearly 2 million gallons of water along with 3 whale sharks (one in the picture below) and several manta rays, four of which have been bred here. It is truly incredible and you can even go above the tank to hear explanations (in Japanese) of how they keep things working. This is the top attraction on Okinawa and well worth visiting.

Nakijin Castle Ruins

In the 13th century, Okinawa was known as Ryukyu and was divided into three areas, each ruled by a king, who lived in a castle, known as a gusuku. Nakijin was the center of the northern kingdom, and it was here that a large castle fortress was constructed. It was later destroyed during an attack from the central kingdom but the ruins remain today as a tourist attraction that is also a World Heritage site. The castle walls remain (below) and there is a walking path up to the top of the hill.

There is an English brochure that explains in detail the different areas of the ruins, which take about an hour to tour. The wonderful view from the top takes in the East China Sea and the surrounding countryside.

There is also a museum on site, but as it is rather cluttered and without English explanations, it doesn't merit more than a quick walkthrough. At 400 yen, this is a nice way to spend the morning before heading over to the aquarium after lunch.

Okinawa Fruits Land

One of many different fruit-related theme parks near Nago, Okinawa Fruits Land is a small building that houses a number of tropical fruit trees, as well as a butterfly garden (with a single species) and an aviary. It's not very exciting and at 800 yen, rather overpriced. Best to spend time at the Nago Pineapple Park instead.

Kajinho

Not a tourist attraction, rather is a pizza restaurant that is located atop a hill with great views of the seaside far below. Colloquially known as "Pizza in the Sky", the food is very good here, although there is only one variety of pizza available. You can enjoy your meal on picnic tables outside if you prefer, and there are plenty of tables inside as well, a necessity as this place is very popular. The drive up the hill is along a narrow road and might be a small adventure if you are not used to driving in Japan, but once you take your first bite of pizza, you will be thankful you made it.

All in all, Okinawa is a fantastic vacation destination. These are just a few of the possibilities to tempt you to visit. I've been here half a dozen times now and am looking forward to my return as soon as possible.

Sunset from Naha Airport

Best,

Sean

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Osaka Evessa 75 at Ryukyu Golden Kings 70 - March 25, 2012

After a relaxing week on the north coast of Okinawa, I returned to Naha for my flight back to Tokyo. The flight wasn't until the evening, so I had to find something to do in the city during the day. Fortunately, the Ryukyu Golden Kings, the bj League's best team, were at home in Naha that day so I was able to drive over and watch them taking on the Osaka Evessa, who are the number 2 squad in the nation.

Naha City Gymnasium

The venue was the Naha City Gymnasium which has little available parking, so rather than navigate the back streets, I parked at a nearby shopping mall and took a free shuttle bus to the game. I arrived about 10 minutes before tip off and picked up the cheapest ticket, a 2,000 yen unreserved seat in the second level. I thought it would be no problem to find a seat but when I entered the seating area, the lights went out as it was time for introductions. By the time the lights were switched on, I realized that this was not a typical bj League game with few fans and lots of seats; instead over 3,000 were on hand for this battle and there were few open spots. I managed to find a good seat after the first quarter had ended, but will definitely try to get there earlier next time.

There's not much to this place as it is normally just a municipal gym, not a real pro sports venue. Like all bj League teams, the Golden Kings play in a number of different locations over the season, so there is no permanent infrastructure set up. There are a few temporary food stands and a team store, but little else. My culinary recommendation here would be the taco rice donburi for 500 yen, simply because it was the only item that was sold out and it looked pretty appealing.

It was nice to see a bit of history commemorated with some banners commemorating the Kings' success over the years, including a championship 3 seasons ago.

The Game

This was the second of two consecutive games, as nearly all bj League affairs are weekend doubleheaders to save on travel costs. Osaka was suffering from the loss of Lynn Washington, who had been arrested a couple of weeks before on drug importation charges, and they were crushed by Ryukyu 97-75 the night before.

Despite this being the second game of a back-to-back, it was very fast paced to start, with the first quarter taking just 15 minutes of real time to play (bj League quarters are 10 minutes long). The referees were great, letting the action unfold without calling any silly fouls, and the players responded with some great physical play. Both teams were solid defensively and the first quarter ended 16-13 in favour of the home team, dressed in gold.

Cohey Aoki, a former member of the Apache, takes a shot for Osaka.

The second stanza saw the Kings increase their lead to 10 but Evessa ended the half on a 14-4 run to tie the game at 37 at the break. Below is Osaka's Masashi Obushi slicing through the Kings' defense for a lay up.

The third quarter belonged to Ryukyu, who dominated the offensive glass but were hurt by poor shooting, particularly from the charity stripe, and could only take a 62-55 lead into the final frame.

When Osaka scored the first 7 points of the fourth, the game was again tied and momentum was on the side of the visitors. Defense took over and for about 5 minutes, neither team was able to score two consecutive baskets.

With Osaka up 69-68 and less than 3 minutes to go, Bobby St. Preux sank a three-pointer to increase the lead to four. Osaka then clamped down on the Kings, allowing only two free throws but no other baskets. Ryukyu didn't foul down the stretch for some reason, allowing Osaka to escape with a 75-70 road win to split the weekend set. Interestingly, they scored 75 points both times, but their defense was excellent in this game and the major factor in their victory.

Osaka's Mike Bell (below) led all scorers with 17 points while adding 13 rebounds. This was a gritty defensive contest with the Kings' inability to score from beyond the arc hurting them (they went just 3 for 16) as much as the Evessa's pressing defense. These two teams might meet again in the Western Conference final, part of the "Final Four" to be held in Tokyo on May 19th and 20th. Unfortunately, I'll have left Japan by then, but if you are around and like basketball, check it out.

Notes

I've mentioned this before, but Okinawa has the strongest community feeling among all areas of Japan and this is demonstrated both in the team and its fans. The Golden Kings count 6 Okinawan natives on their roster, and the fans appreciate the local talent, coming out in droves and cheering loudly, helped along by a constant drumbeat on offense and an MC chanting "defense". It is great that this team can draw 3,000 fans from a relatively small population; compare that to the now-defunct Tokyo Apache, who could barely muster 1,000 or so fans from the largest metro area in the world.

Next Up

Tomorrow sees the Mariners and Athletics open the MLB season at the Tokyo Dome and I'll be there to check it out, but will avoid posting an update. Next week I'm off to Sapporo for two games, so check back then for some recaps.

Best,

Sean

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Quest for 400

Happy Birthday to me! Or at least to the blog. Sports Road Trips is three years old today and it's time to change it up a bit. I've been doing odd trips over those years, generally when I found a bit of free time and spare cash, but there hasn't been a lot of rhyme or reason behind them. Mostly I've been trying to see Toronto teams on the road and all the new baseball stadiums, and then finding other games in the vicinity.

I've decided that this is no longer the best way to approach these trips, so I've set a goal to complete visits to 400 pro stadiums in North America over the next five years. Now, I've already been to nearly 300 venues across the continent, plus another 75 or so in far-flung international locations, but that was using a more scattershot approach. Since I'm only planning to do this for a few more years, I want to set a goal and use the blog to monitor progress.

What I've done is found 25 leagues that total 400 teams. I hope to see a game in each of those venues that I have yet to visit by the time I retire from this in 2017. The rules are as follows:

1) the game must be a regular season or playoff game, no pre-season antics allowed

2) the home team must be present. So although I saw the First Niagara Center twice (when it was the HSBC Arena), once was for an exhibition game and the other time was for the World Junior Hockey Championships, so it is still on the list to visit.

3) a full game must be played. I saw 5 innings in New Hampshire one year and so need to drop by again to consider it official.

4) Once a stadium becomes inactive, the new stadium is added back to the list. When the Atlanta Trashers moved to Winnipeg, Phillips Arena no longer counted as an NHL venue, so I had to check out the MTS Centre to stay current. This rule is most difficult in minor league baseball, which sees franchise relocations and new ballparks every year.

The breakdown of the 400 is as follows, with the number of active venues I have seen listed.

MLB: 29/30 - Marlins Stadium to be knocked off the list this summer.

NHL: 27/30 - Buffalo and Boston have been seen before, but not under the rules. Carolina also on the list.

NFL: 7/32 - Need to do an NFL roadtrip one of these years, it is too tough to see more than two games on the sort of trips I do, which are usually in the summer.

NBA: 19/30 - Not something I'm particularly keen on but will try to knock them off during the NFL trip

Minor league baseball: 70/150 - Not including independent leagues, there are 13 affiliated minor league circuits that I count here, excluding the Appalachian League. I was surprised at how low the number I've seen is, it used to be nearly 90 which shows you how much franchise movement and ballpark construction there is at this level.

AHL: 5/30

ECHL: 6/22 - another league with far too much franchise movement.

CHL: 1/16

MLS: 1/19 - Like the NFL, a difficult one to get when I travel. Three Canadian teams now.

NBDL: 2/16 - Yep, even minor league basketball.

CFL: 1/8: - Gotta get out west again.

NLL: 1/9 - Have seen two franchises that have moved, but the league has reached relative stability

MLL: 0/8 - When I started planning this, there were only 6, but they expanded for this season.

A rather arbitrary list of leagues but it totals nicely to 400 venues with Major League Lacrosse expanding 8 teams. I'm ignoring college sports for one main reason: too many venues. There are 345 here alone in Division 1 basketball and I am not immortal (nor a millionaire). I'm also ignoring junior hockey rinks as I want to focus only on professional sports. That doesn't mean I won't visit those places when opportunity presents itself, but I will not be counting them on this list.

Out of the 400, I have only visited 169 of them, a surprisingly low number (my overall venue count is 362). That makes 231 to go, not including new stadiums which will certainly be built. I'd estimate about 50 per year over the next five years to make it. I'm going to track this on the following page, along with my total venue count. I should note that this quest is predicated on my moving back to North America next year. If that doesn't happen, I won't be able to get home often enough to achieve this. But If I do move back, then it will be interesting to see if I get even close.

Best,

Sean

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Yokohama DeNA BayStars 6 at Yomiuri Giants 3 (Eastern League) - March 18th, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Weekend! Last year at this time, I wrote a piece on the poor media reporting after the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku area. One year later, there has been much progress in the recovery but there is still a long, long way to go. Not that the media will tell you that; there has been very little substantive reporting overseas other than a blip last weekend during the anniversary. Even then, for us in Japan, things are essentially back to normal outside the affected area. I'm not trying to be glib, but the rest of the country has moved on. Unlike last year, baseball is starting on time, and here, the minor leagues begin play a week or two before the big guys get started. It was opening day yesterday but rain postponed the first game until today, when the Yomiuri Giants hosted the renamed Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Yes, the only ballclub that had forsaken a corporate sponsor was bought last year by DeNA (pronounced D-N-A) who promptly stuck their stupid name in the team's moniker. DeNA are some sort of online service company but I don't care, they are pure evil for doing this.

Anyway, the game started 30 minutes before the other two scheduled matches, so it was officially the first regular season pro game of the year. And as it was being played at my favorite minor league stadium, I had no choice but to go. About 1,100 similarly-minded fans braved a dreary drizzle to open their accounts on the 2012 season. To mark the occasion, there was an opening-day ceremony that featured a taiko drum display in the seating area that was appreciated by players and fans alike. After that, Giants' manager, all-time sacrifice bunt king Masashiro Kawai, then gave a short speech (without a mike) and that was it, the season was underway.

The game started with a bang when Atsushi Kita smashed the first pitch of the year deep over the right field fence (below). It immediately looked like perennial losers Yokohama were going to enjoy the change in their DeNA.

Or would they? The Giants' Daisuke Nakai managed a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first when the ball bounced off the top of the left-field fence. After that, the teams traded zeroes until the Giants used a walk, two wild pitches, and a sacrifice fly to take a 3-1 lead after 6.

That is when the Yomiuri bullpen imploded. In the 7th, Yuki Koyama gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases and Tatsuya Shimozono singled to drive home a couple and tie the game. Things got worse for the home team in the 8th as Norihito Kaneto allowed three runs (two earned) with the big blow a 2-run double from catcher Kenjiro Tsuruoka, who had started the rally in the 7th as a pinch-hitter.

Although the Giants got the tying run to the plate in the 9th, Atori Ota induced Nakai to fly out to deep center to finish the match. Ota, who goes by his first name, recorded the win by pitching three shutout innings in relief.

Both teams finished with 11 hits, but Yokohama bunched theirs together and came away victorious. It was a long game in poor weather, but I was glad to see Yokohama pull one out. Whether the big-league squad will be any good still remains to be seen.

Notes

The BayStars have new uniforms with DeNA on them. I wasn't sitting close enough to get a good picture, but the shot of starter Shugo Fujii gives you an idea.

Oscar Salazar was the only non-Japanese on the field today. Generally there are few foreigners at this level, as most of them are brought over to help the big team win. I am not sure why Salazar is with the BayStars' junior club, but he went 0-5, although he crushed a ball that was caught at the center field wall.

There is a lucky number contest that is played at every game at this stadium. Your ticket has a number on it and after the 5th inning about 20 various prizes are awarded. Today they had a bonus prize where fans holding tickets ending in 1,4,6 or 9 got to go on the field after the game and receive an autograph from one Giants player. That meant about 400 people total and it took them a while to get organized, with a lineup of about 25 fans for each player. A nice touch that I hadn't seen before. In the photo below, you can also see how terrible the field is at this early stage, it appears to be just dead grass.

Next Up

Things are getting busy. I've got a trip to Okinawa from Tuesday that will see me attend a battle of the top two western teams in the bj League, Ryukyu and Osaka. Lynn Washington, Osaka's best player and a 2-time MVP who has been in the league since its inception, was arrested earlier this week and will therefore not be playing. It is perhaps the biggest news to hit the league and certainly not the sort of publicity it was seeking. This is a bit of a disappointment for me as I was hoping to see him in action against some of the Ryukyu stars, but it should still be a good contest.

The week following will see the MLB season-opening game between the Athletics and Mariners as well as the Rugby 7s that weekend. After that I'm off to Hokkaido to see a baseball and soccer game over three days and finally add the Sapporo Dome to my list. Oh yeah, I'm also leaving Japan on May 5th. It will be a hectic time, so check back often to see what's happening.

Best,

Sean

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