Informative Essay

Japan Softball League of Man

              I have played softball when I was in the first glade to graduate from high school. When I was high school student, the pitcher of the opponent threw out a ball of the speed of 103km/h. It feels like 154km/h in case of baseball. The speed that you should be surprised at. Some people often said that softball is similar to baseball. I think that is little bit true but quite different. I want you to know softball about the history, the leagues, and unique rules.

　History of the league

               Softball was introduced into Japan in 1921. JSL of man established in 1972. And they were made of two types of league in 1992. But they were changed two leagues to zoning, east of japan or west of japan in 2004. At first, each league set championship team. And, the top 4 teams from each league go on to the final tournament. And then, the team that could win a championship is “real Japanese league champion”. Since 2004, Honda won the east of japan league championship nine times. And Denso won that four times. These two teams made a monopoly of that championship. On the other hand, Hrabayashi-Kinzoku won the west of japan league championship three times. The leagues changed to one league from 2019. [1] At the final, west leagues won 13 of 15 times. The west leagues are stronger than the east leagues. From 2019, it became one league from zoning. First, they played a round-robin tournament. Next, the top 5 teams go on the final tournament. To become a champion, they have to won the final tournament.

 

League Structure

              The league consists 18 teams. There are Hirabayashi-Kinzoku, Denso, Mie-verdewin, Honda, Toyota-automatic loom, Osaka-momojiro, Toyota, Japan Eco System, Kochi-pacific-wave, Asahi-kasei, Osaka/Sakai-global, Daiwa Act, Ehime West, Saitama-prefectural office-club, YKK, JTEKT, Neo-Nagasaki and Kumamoto-Hatoda-club.

 

Unique rules 

    Softball has Unique rules. It is different from baseball. There are three points. First, Double-base. In softball the line between two bases is shorter than baseball so, it makes some close play at first base. And people made it to prevent them to get hurt because of close play. Second, the distance. In case of baseball, from pitcher plate to home base is 18.44 but softball of man is 14.02. Softball is shorter than baseball. We feel more speed. Lastly, the pitcher how to throw the ball. In case of softball, the pitcher throws a ball by unique way. we are said it windmill. Because it looks like the windmill.

Conclusion

    Softball is fun sports. If you like baseball you will have to like softball too. I want more Japanese people to know the great achievement about softball in Japan. If you had interested in softball, you should go stadium or watch YouTube. You will more surprised that.

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[1]　公益財団法人日本ソフトボール協会　日本男子リーグの歩み http://www.softball.or.jp/league/history.html