Question:
Answer:
Baseball was introduced to japan as early as in the 1870's (at the beginning of the Meiji Period). In the 1890's, a college baseball league was formed, which exploded the popularity of baseball throughout the nation. In the 1910's, a Japanese professional baseball league was established after inviting some minor league clubs from the US. Not to mention, no Japanese teams had ever won any game with American baseball clubs. Nevertheless, many Japanese baseball (called Yakyu in Japanese) players and fans were more and more attracted and fascinated by the unique characteristics and the well-thought rules that had never existed in traditional Japanese sports.
When the "MLB all star team," including Babe Ruth, finally came to Japan in 1934 for exhibition games in some major cities in Japan (Babe Ruth hit 13 home runs in 18 games), the Japanese were convinced that Japanese "Yakyu" would never be able to compete with the "power baseball" of Americans for good.
However, they also realized that their tactful, 'small baseball' based on their team spirit, which is more or less corresponding to their samurai mentality may have a possibility to beat up the giants some day. Even back then, the Japanese were good at "for-the-team batting," nasty breaking balls, self‐effacing sacrifice bunt, stealing bases like ninja.
More than 70 years later, Japanese "small baseball" have won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009 consecutively by smashing up both MLB and the Cubans, leaving them flat like dying frogs on their field of dreams.
To make a long story short (good idea, ha?),
1. The emphasis on team spirit of baseball corresponds with the traditional samurai spirit of the Japanese (self sacrifice as opposed to individual achievements).
2. Now, the Japanese are convinced that their "small baseball" can compete with the power baseball.
