July 2, 2019

Ernesto de la Torriente, La Bola Rápida

Timing is everything in this game. The scheduling gods have conspired to bring us a week draped in auspicious promise. The local nine find themselves tied up with Naha, five games behind the division leading Lupin club. Edo will be taking them both on in a pair of three game series this week.

It couldn’t have come at better time. The annual migration of multicolored paper cranes alighting on bamboo poles, sign and street lamps announce the arrival of Tanabata, the Japanese star festival.

Tanabata is celebrated locally through the writing of wishes, often in poetic verse on small pieces of paper, called ‘tanzaku’. Cranes, messages, kimonos, fishing nets, business decorations, trash bags and streamers all crafted in colorful and elaborately style paper appear everywhere.

The festival took root in Japan in 755 with the import of the Chinese “Festival to plead for skills”. The Edo faithful and players have festooned the ballpark with wishful messages pleading for their club to develop the skills needed to make a statement in the standings and return to the playoffs in this final season of LRS baseball.

Some of the fans have expanded upon the seven traditional forms. Paper bats, gloves, baseballs, uniforms and even a paper catchers mask have appeared at the front gate of Koshien Stadium. There are also origami baseball players, some in multicolored form and other all in Edo’s famous October Orange.

The messages are a mix of directives and hopes. “Homu-ran, hit hard!” one demands. Another in a child’s script , festooned with three Neo Tokyo Cup drawings, pleads, “Be Champions again!“ Some are remarkably detailed, “Trust your slider against the lefties. May your wrist stay strong and straight, like a tall bamboo, when throwing it.”, one sagely advises.

For now the decorations sway delightfully in the soft summer breezes. They inspire a sense of hope in all who observe them. With a little luck and a good week the local fans hope, they may prove prophetic. Time will tell.