Sport! Report on Kochi Presents "Professional Baseball Players and Baseball Experience"!

Kochi City Stadium on March 12, 2023, blessed with a warm and cheerful atmosphere. While baseball fever is booming with the success of WBC and Samurai Japan, "Sport! Experience project sponsored by Kochi "Baseball experience with professional baseball players!" It was held. We had a variety of projects such as batting and knocking with coaches and players active in the Shikoku Island League plus, catchball, and watching the game "Tosa's Okiku 2023 Official Event / Proama Competition / Kochi Fighting Dogs vs Shikoku Bank". Was.

Winners from all over the country gather in Kochi

This "Sport!" in February 2023 This project has been recruiting applicants for experience at Kochi. We received an application from inside and outside Kochi Prefecture, and the participants were drawn and the day was reached.

"Kochi Fighting Dogs" belongs to the professional baseball independent league Shikoku Island League plus. Last year, he achieved the overall victory in the Shikoku Island League plus for the first time in 13 years. In the past, Kyuko Fujikawa and Manny Ramirez belonged to the team, and former professional baseball player Tokuhiro Komada served as a coach.

Kochi Fighting Dogs has enthusiastic fans not only from Kochi but also from all over the country. While there were many applications from all over the country for the hands-on gift project, 4 groups of 8 people from 4 winners participated.

Matsumoto, who participated from Hyogo Prefecture, is a fan of director Toyohiko Yoshida since his mother was a player. I invited my son who loves the Hanshin Tigers to Kochi.

The son of an elementary school student who attends a baseball school and the Mineshige family who participated from Osaka Prefecture are fans of Kyuko Fujikawa. He was interested in the team that Mr. Fujikawa temporarily belonged to, and he applied. My father and son participated in the experience.

Inai, a parent and child and experienced baseball player, participated from Tokushima Prefecture. I watched the game of Tokushima Indigo Sox vs Kochi Fighting Dogs, and I was looking forward to watching the game.

Mr. Egawa and Mr. Tamai, who are teammates of baseball who participated from the local Kochi prefecture, are well prepared in matching uniforms. Dogsmania that I usually visit to watch Kochi Fighting Dogs matches.

This experience gift plan was divided into two sets of A course (batting & knocking experience) and two sets of B course (catch ball experience).

Experience Part 1 Director and batting!

First of all, from the batting experience of course A. The challenge is Mineshige's parent and child, Tamai and Egawa's pair. The staff explained today's flow and went to the ground. Everyone, I'll be prepared with care. The batting pitcher is a director Toyohiko Yoshida!

Mr. Mineshige (father), the batter, has a slightly stiff expression, "Wow, I'm nervous!"
Director Yoshida pitched with a voice saying "Let's start!" The first and second balls were empty, but in the third balls, I made a good sound like "Kakien!" After that, I hit the 5th and 6th balls well and cut off 10 balls.

Next up, my son. From the first ball, it's good! The second ball will also fly the ball with full swing. "Oh, it's good!" said the staff and coach. Although it was small, he showed me a dignified batting.

Mr. Tamai is a baseball player, and Mr. Egawa is a soccer player, and he has been playing in the grass baseball team for 20 years. You are two sportsmen. With a full-fledged form and a swing with full power, one ball, two balls and a good sound, Neis batting from beginning to end. "I'm sorry!" “The level is different,” he surprised the surroundings.

Experience the 2 players and catchball & knock!

Next, the catch ball experience of course B started. Mr. Matsumoto and Mr. Inai are challenges. The catchball opponents are Ryo Tamura, Shuta Nakatsu, and Takato Kato, the team's pitchers.

Both Matsumoto's parents and children, Inai's parents and children, the tension rises to the players watching up close, saying, "The body is completely different!" Inai (son) seems to have been a baseball boy until junior high school, but others are the first to handle hardballs.

Like the batting experience, the catch ball experience starts using the ground where the game is actually played.

At first, Mr. Matsumoto's parents and children struggled with the ball they throw flying in an unexpected direction or not reaching without extending the distance. However, while the parents and children talked to each other and throwing them many times, I gradually grabbed the tips.

On the other hand, Mr. Inagaki's parents and children also belong to the baseball team and are familiar with baseball on a regular basis. A catch ball that continues well with stability control for both parents and children. “I was excited to receive a professional ball for the first time!” "The impact of the hardball will come off," he said with a smile.

In the knocking experience held at the same time as the catch ball experience, Tamai and Egawa-san combined demonstrated their abilities. Hiroki Torii and San Forasina catch knocks that are being rolled out one after another with light movements and throw them quickly. "Nice ball!" "Good move!" said a professional and happy expression.

Mineshige's parents and children are more and more absorbed, and at the end they play with their own voice.

The time passed quickly, and the experience time was over regrettable. While the excitement was not cool, I was able to interact with the players and get signatures. The participants who saw a little nervous before the event. It was a wonderful smile that conveys excitement and fun.

Finally, we took a commemorative photo with all the members of Kochi Fighting Dogs.

Watch a stand for a pro-ama exchange match

Participants who have completed the experience watched the Kochi Fighting Dogs vs Shikoku Bank match, which began after noon, at the stand. The audience seats were relaxed in the spring weather, with families and groups enjoying lunch boxes, tidbits, and drinks, but the players stand on the mound with a Pirie expression instead of the previous one.

The game on this day was held as one of the events of Kochi Prefecture's feature "Tosa no Okiku", and various performances were also performed between the games. We enjoyed the performance while watching the game, and the venue was exciting all the time.

Trackout challenge

At the end of the five times, another experience gift project "Struck Out" started. Throw a ball one by one toward the nine targets, and those who shot out the target will receive a special product of Kochi (Shikoku Bank Just Like Family Set & Myojin Fisheries Straw-Bried Bonito Tataki Set). In addition, a special project in which alcohol drinks sold at the venue are discounted by 50 yen (all audiences) per target.

On the ground, and during the match, there is a challenge while taking the gaze of players and customers, and while tension runs, the challenge of trackout starts!

The top batter is Mineshige, a sixth grader in elementary school. The youngest but boldly aimed at the ball hit No. 8 vigorously. In addition, Mr. Mineshige (Dad), who continues, also punches the next 7 panel as aimed, and cheers from the stadium saying "Oh!" However, after that, the six of them failed. It was finished with two panels, but all alcohol drinks were discounted by 100 yen and applause came from inside the venue.

After that, we watched the game from the six times again, and the event that was full of was over.
We asked the participants for their impressions.

Mr. Mineshige's parent and child
"I didn't think it was such a real experience, so it was a very good experience. There is always an exhilaration when you hit a hard ball!” 。
Following his father who had an experience beyond imagination, his son said, "I usually use rubber balls at baseball schools. The hard ball had very vibrations and it was a bit painful, but it was fun. I want to see the game again!”

Mr. Tamai
"Today was an unforgettable day to be able to experience batting and knocking with the players on the ground of the watching side. Oh, you're nervous. I feel like I understand the players a little bit.”

Mr. Egawa
"I enjoyed myself, and the participants seemed to be happy and happy. As the population of baseball is declining, I hope this kind of project will convey the joy of baseball and make it even more exciting.”

Mr. Matsumoto's parent and child
"My hands hurt, but it was fun and I was happy to meet professional players. I take care of the signature ball!” 。 Following his son, his mother said, "It's so difficult when I do it. In the catch ball, I flew the ball to various places, but I'm really a professional. Wherever he threw it. I am truly grateful to all of you today.”

Inai's parent and child
"I think I had a great experience when I received a professional ball for the first time. I felt like I wanted to play baseball again,” said his son, who seemed to be passionate about baseball again. Dad, who was told by the players that he was still active, said, "The feel of the ball was completely different from ordinary grass baseball, and it was difficult to gain strength and distance, but I had a very good time . I'm also looking forward to the arrival of the bonito flakes. This time, I want to come and watch the game slowly in two days.”

Everyone seems to have enjoyed the experience in Kochi.

Finally

This event was enjoyed by parents and children and friends. "Spoll! Kochi will continue to devise hands-on events that will allow you to feel the charm of Kochi through sports. 

Please check this site and SNS for the latest information such as experience gift planning. The Shikoku Island League plus has finally begun. Please go to the stadium to support the hot fight!

Kochi Fighting Dogs HP / https://kochi-fd.com/