dtam01

Perhaps there is some irony that here I am last night wrapping up Robert Whiting's book on Japanese baseball in light of current events. I started the the book a few days ago thinking a baseball book is appropriate with the baseball season getting ready to begin around here. Whiting has a different perspective than most others. He has spent most of his life in Japan and as I recall is married to a member of Japan's diplomatic service. He has an understanding of the cultural context that few writers do on the subject. As with his first book on Japanese Whiting excels at explaining the cultural difference between American major leaguers playing in Japan and the Japanese hierarchy and players. A common training technique in Japan is to hit fielders balls until the player collapses. Major league players look upon that drill, and ones like that, as baseball insanity. Whiting does not portray Americans as always right. All too many Americans have earned bad reputations playing ball in Japan. Too many are unwilling to accept the cultural differences, and too few make even an attempt to learn the language. Then there are the Americans like the Lee brothers who despite learning Japanese, following traditions and practices and become top players in the league remain discriminated against. If you are a baseball fan this is one way to obtain an excellent insight into the cultural differences between the two countries. Please keep in mind it is probably slightly dated as Whiting wrote this towards the end of the 1980s.

2022-11-14 17:19