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 Every
July, Sanyo sponsors two or three All-Star games, ideally
consisting of the leagues' best players. Ideally, because
fans everywhere have a tendency to vote with their
hearts, not their heads. Charismatic players usually
score better than talented ones. When one is both -- like
Orix BlueWave outfielder Ichiro Suzuki -- they may earn a
record number of votes.Nevertheless, going to an All-Star
game is still a lot of fun. Even if you watch on TV, it's
a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with some of
Japan's best and most popular players.
Since
the games are statistically meaningless, there's a much
looser atmosphere, so you may get to see things that you
would never witness in a regular season game, such as
BlueWave manager Akira Ogi allowing Suzuki to pitch to
the final batter in the third 1996 game.
Getting
tickets may be difficult. Check with the usual ticket
centers to see if there are any seats available.
In
1999, there will be three All-Star games. The first is
scheduled for July 24 at Seibu
Dome, and the
second will be played at Hanshin Koshien
Stadium on July 25
while the third will be played the following day at
Kurashiki. There will also be a "Junior"
All-Star game at Yokohama Stadium on July 23, featuring the best
players in Japan's minor league system.
The
all-star games offer fans their best chance of comparing
the top players in the both leagues. In recent years, the
Pacific League has dominated the CL all-stars.
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