(Daegu, South Korea and Hiroshima, Japan) Cheerleaders. A master of ceremonies who sings and dances. A completely conquered crowd, which follows the parade with contagious enthusiasm. Yes, there you are, you are exactly where this description takes your imagination: watching a professional baseball game.
But, of course, not just any. We transport you to Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, South Korea. The Samsung Lions, a local team that you can guess who owns it, face the KT Wiz of Suwon. We are at the end of July, in the city recognized as being the hottest in the country. The hand fans are being carried in the bleachers.
After the arrival on the field of no less than four mascots before the match (Koreans love mascots), the meeting begins slowly. Fans of the visiting team, gathered in a remote section of the stadium, encourage their own as best they can, either to music. Already, we are far from the North American atmosphere.
But it’s when the Lions show up at bat that you realize the extent of Koreans’ madness for baseball. At the half-inning, a stage set up near the field fills up. Four cheerleaders and an MC set up in front of now standing home fans. And all these beautiful people are pumped up.
It’s that each player at bat has his song, linked to a choreography. We’re not talking about a simple “go, Kim Ji-Chan, go!” repeated ad nauseam. It is a chorus in good and due form, sung by the host, well known by the crowd and all accompanied by music.
The cheerleaders, absolutely tireless despite the heat and humidity, demonstrate the precise movements. And it never stops, throughout the local half-innings. When the batter hits a hit or is out, the game starts again for his successor. The show continues, without downtime, the sound of the speakers in the carpet, the energy of the stadium seeming to emanate from a bottomless pit.
We remind you here that this text is about a baseball game, not a K-pop concert. Exactly, what does the match look like? Because it has to be said, with all those distractions off the pitch, it becomes difficult to follow the action in the diamond. Culinary temptations are just as plentiful, by the way – this is Korea, right?
And yet, things are happening in this game. There’s even entertainment on the replay: Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes theme song plays with giant screen animation. We’re looking at a questionable case, after all.
Despite a good effort late in the game to try to make a comeback by four points, the Lions lost 8-7. Never mind. The important thing, it seems, was only to unleash his madman with songs and dance moves of assumed absurdity and seriousness.
Surely you’ve heard of a no-run, no-hit game. But have you ever heard of a game… without points?
We have the misfortune to inform you that this is indeed a possibility. In Japan, when there is a tie after 9 innings, it continues until the 12th. If the tie persists, a draw is declared. It is very beautiful. It is a little less so when the tie is… 0-0. In baseball, a 0-0 is a long long time, no matter what country you are in.
But this is Hiroshima, where Toyo Carp is king! At Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium – yes, yes! – there is a sea of red in and around the stands. Red being the color of the club and of all the trinkets sold in the official store, which was very busy before the match.
From our high seats behind home plate, the view of the mountains surrounding the city is magnificent. With the bullet train passing in the background, we have before us a typical scene of modern Japan.
Because like the Koreans, the Japanese are crazy about baseball. For both countries, it is the national sport. Japan have won the World Baseball Classic three times, including the 2023 tournament. Moreover, the atmosphere we witnessed in Hiroshima perhaps reflects a little more the seriousness with which they follow their sport.
There is indeed a complete section, at the end of right field, intended for the most passionate fans, who are active from start to end of the game like the groups of supporters behind the goals at Saputo Stadium. Between each throw, there is a crescendo in the songs. Then we lower the tone just before the throw, politely. We are in Japan, after all.
The most exciting moment of the encounter came in the seventh round: the time had come to inflate the balloons – red, of course – and let them empty into the air. A tradition that is repeated in most Japanese league stadiums. Nice moment to see all those balloons flying around the stadium for a few seconds!
Otherwise, the lack of constant entertainment leaves more room to enjoy the game, yes, that’s right. Still, there has to be something to appreciate. We envy a little the dear gentleman, on our left, who managed to start his night after a few throws.
Throws that took the form of fake balls to keep as memories. The only ones who will remain from this meeting.
