grapplegraphics.com Ahead of the biggest rivalry game in Japanese baseball, an unusual announcement appeared on the Tokyo Dome scoreboard. It was a message asking fans of both teams to “observe spectator etiquette.
Japanese sports media,카지노 including Sankei Sports, reported on the “Observe Spectator Manners” notice that appeared at the Tokyo Dome on the 25th.
The message reads, “Your enthusiastic support is a great encouragement to the teams and players playing. Regrettably, however, some fans have recently been found to be acting in a manner inconsistent with good spectator etiquette, insulting opponents with slander and excessive booing. Please refrain from such behaviour while watching. We sincerely ask that you create an environment that is enjoyable and comfortable for everyone, and encourage the teams and players with healthy cheers,” the notice reads. The message was posted under the names of Yomiuri and Hanshin, the NPB.
The trigger was a head-to-head match between the two teams in July. In the first game, Yomiuri pitcher Yuhei Takanashi threw a pitch that hit Hanshin’s Koji Chikamoto in the body, causing Chikamoto to suffer a fracture. Takanashi visited Chikamoto on the second day to apologise. The issue between the two players was resolved.
However, the anger of Hanshin fans did not subside. On the 8th of this month, when Takanashi took the mound, they protested with mass boos. The boos were loud enough to disrupt play. As Hanshin fans chanted “Go home!”, Yomiuri fans fired back by chanting Takanashi’s name, causing further chaos in the Tokyo Dome.
Two weeks later, on the 25th, Hanshin returned to Tokyo Dome. The Yomiuri club put up a message on the big screen, “To those watching, we ask for good cheering manners,” emphasising the importance of “cheering manners”.
“Slander of athletes has become a major problem in the sports world in recent years,” noted sports specialist Tokyo Sports.
Hanshin, meanwhile, have 67 wins, four draws and 41 losses through 24 days, 7.5 games ahead of second-placed Hiroshima Karp. The magic number is 23. Yomiuri will challenge for a postseason berth in third place with 56 wins, one draw and 54 losses, 0.5 games ahead of the DeNA BayStars.