Koshien - Japanese March Madness (HS Baseball) - We byke for 2023, games start Sat Aug 5

[staticshock]

If anyone is interested and got some time to kill, I highly recommend checking out the 104th National Japanese High School Baseball Tournament starting this this week, known as Summer Koshien. It’s essentially Japanese March Madness with baseball, where each prefecture (state) sends their champion to a single elimination tournament played at historic Koshien Stadium. I'm going to try to keep this thread updated with information.

Stream Links and Information Hubs: VKSportsbull, Yahoo
(Chrome users right click page and click “Translate to English”, it works pretty well. Or install browser translator add-in)

Day 3 Schedule - Mon Aug 08 (Sun Aug 07 in USA)
Game 1 @ 08:00a (04:00p Pacific) – Kaisei (Nagasaki) v. Nihon Bunri (Niigata)
Game 2 @ 10:30a (06:30p Pacific) – Tenri (Nara) v. Yamanashi Gakuin (Yamanashi)
Game 3 @ 01:00p (09:00p Pacific) – Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui) v. Takaoka Sho (Toyama)
Game 4 @ 03:30p (11:30p Pacific) – Konan (Okinawa) v. Ichi Funabashi (Chiba)

There is a spring invitational tournament too, but the summer one is THE big one. Like NCAA March Madness, there is a lot of tradition, pageantry, and ceremony that make it so exciting to watch even without knowing anything about the teams or players. It’s one of the most popular events in Japan and is broadcast across the country every year. They have video games, movies, and anime based on this tournament. I’m going to post some information and stream links here for anyone who wants to check it out.

Quick Facts

• Where to stream: VKSportsbull, Yahoo (Chrome users right click page and click “Translate to English")
• When is the tournament: Aug 6 - Aug 22 (Japan time, so subtract 1 day for USA date)
• What time do the games start: The early games will start at ~04:00p Pacific time and run into the evening. Will be rough for US east coast viewers.
• Where is it played: Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, JP (Kobe/Osaka area). The pro team Hanshin Tigers vacates the stadium for this tournament each year
• Tournament Format: 49 teams (1 team from each prefecture, except Tokyo and Hokkaido which send 2), Single Elimination (there are drawings to determine who plays an extra game), Seeding is redone when down to 8 teams. They play 4 games per day all in the same stadium up until the quarterfinals.
• Game Format: 9 inning games with extra innings if necessary.
• How old is the tournament: First tournament was in 1908. This year will be the 104th Koshien (some years didn't have it, like 2020)
• Old NYT article sums it up pretty good: In Japan, 100 Years of Glory Days for High School Baseball (Published 2018)

I think Seiryo got a mixed dude pitching He getting rocked rn lol

14-2 final score, trash game shoulda took a nap to help stay up for the later games

Them dudes look 40 & the mixed dude looks 35

I’ll check this out though. Baseball the goat sport & Japan the goat country. They go apeshyt for baseball over there.

They have baseball fields everywhere there like how we have basketball courts everywhere in the states.

 

[Windows 91]

Them dudes look 40 & the mixed dude looks 35

I’ll check this out though. Baseball the goat sport & Japan the goat country. They go apeshyt for baseball over there.

They have baseball fields everywhere there like how we have basketball courts everywhere in the states.

It's so weird. Half of the players look 11 years old and the other half look like grown ass men. I think the old style unis make them look older too. In America the kids are rocking the flat brimmed hats, pit vipers, chains, huarache cleats, and full length pants - makes them look like actual teenagers.

 

[Windows 91]

Another player down due to cramping. Stretcher out. That August heat in Asia

 

[Windows 91]

Prediction was way off, no offense at all in game 2, both teams' aces are dominating.

 

[Windows 91]

Day 3 Wrap - Aces on display

• August heat in effect again as more players suffer from leg cramping
• Kaisei Nagasaki cruises to easy 11-0 win over Nihon Literature. Ace Miyahara with CGSO, 9 Ks.
• Powerhouse Tenri narrowly wins 2-1 over Yamanashi in an aces duel. Minamizawa with CG, 1 ER, 6 Ks
• Tsuruga Kehi overmatched Takaoka 13-3 in regional battle
• Funabashi comes back from early 5-0 deficit to beat Konan 6-5 in the night, win on a brutal walkoff HBP

Glad I stayed up to watch Konan because now they're eliminated Day 3 was pretty good all around, higher level of play than day 2. Tenri and Kaisei's pitchers might be must-watch TV.

Day 4 Preview - Enter the Tokyo region

Powerhouses Yokohama (Kanagawa) and Nihon University (West Tokyo) start today in the first 2 games. East Tokyo champ Nishogakusha will also be in action in game 3.

 

[Rekkapryde]

They got this boy's pitch count up to 150 pitches and the game before that someone was at 130 pitches.

 

[MikelArteta]

bigger crowds than some mlb games

 

[Windows 91]

9 inning game about to be over in 90 minutes

 

[Windows 91]

Real good game on rn

Might've been the game of the tournament so far, big upset with Seiko taking down Nihon University.

 

[CarltonJunior]

I'm mildly interested because I watched this tournament fictionally on Major

 

[WhatsGoodTy]

They got this boy's pitch count up to 150 pitches and the game before that someone was at 130 pitches.

I’m taking myself out the game fukk that.

 

[Windows 91]

I’m taking myself out the game fukk that.

Yeah I might just not come out the dugout lmao. Former major leaguer Daisuke Matsuzaka threw a 17 inning 250 pitch game when he was in this tournament. Threw 881 pitches over 6 games, straight child abuse.

They got the full game on Youtube. Maybe I'll watch it one day on a flight or something.

 

[EarlyEarly]

This game on right now is pretty good. Tied up on a wild pitch top of the 9th.

 

[Windows 91]

This game on right now is pretty good. Tied up on a wild pitch top of the 9th.

Yeah this is a really good one. Didn't think they'd tie it up like that. It's looking rough right now though, a lot of baserunners.

 

[Liu Kang]

I'm rooting for Seido just because of Sawamura