In Japanese baseball, it doesn¡¯t matter where you come from or what you look like.
Known as ²â²¹°ì²â¨±, the game is more than a sport. From neighborhood Little Leagues to packed professional stadiums, routines, drills and shared passion create a language all players understand.
Everett Hopkin grew up in America but learned the ropes of Japanese youth baseball. Taku Meyer, a German native, moved to Japan to compete in the high school leagues. Sanfo Lassina came from West Africa and now plays in an independent league.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.