The Old Ball Game :: essays research papers fc

The Old Ball Game     An American dream can be defined through an examination of the Americanlifestyle, and by picking out the most common themes. The most common themesAmericans associate with are the basics graduating at the top of the class,finding a high-paying job, cave in down with the perfect spouse, a house in thesuburbs with a white picket fence, two children running through the yard chasingthe dog and of course apple pie and baseball game.     Yes, baseball is considered by many to be part of the American dream.It is through baseball that many can relive their childhood. It has been theone daily and constant particular that the American society depends on to be thereduring every summer night. The annual fall classic, the World Series, catchesthe attention of the accurate orbit. Like the New York Yankees, baseball hasbecome a part of America.     After World War II, many countries were completely demolished p hysicallyand mentally. Among these countries was Japan. Countless numbers of Japanesepeople were dead, and land, buildings, and entire cities were destroyed. Forthe first time in Japans history, their "God" had spoken to the publicdestroying his immortal reputation. During the locationwar years, Japan looked tothe major powers of the world to develop a foundation for a new country.Included in this foundation was a need for new ideas and dreams. Of courseJapan did not completely erase thousands of years of tradition and culture, solelyJapan did take many international ideas and transformed them into her own. Inthe Movie Mr. Baseball, a Japanese woman describes Japans borrowing techniques."Japan takes the best from all oer the world and makes it Hers" (Welles).Included in the world powers of the time was America therefore, Japan borrowedseveral ideas from the United States. One such idea just happened to beAmericas study pastime, baseball.     The history of Japanese baseball dates back to the middle 1800s. They"adopted baseball from the U.S. as early as 1873" (Constable 23), but the sparkfor baseball ignited during the post war occupational years. A foreign studentfrom Japan explains, "The thousands of American troops stationed in Japan afterthe war kindled the passion for baseball that was lacking before the war"(Akutsu). The American soldiers showed the Japanese the American ways ofbaseball, and the popularity of Japanese baseball has skyrocketed from that timeon. Baseball in Japan has reached the top direct with its professional standings.Many other countries throughout the world have tried to establish the Americansport of baseball but "Japan is the only country in the world to have