No117

Dear Customers & Friends
Hello from Japan! This is Kimono Flea Market ICHIROYA'S News Letter No.117.>From a few days ago, it was getting cooler dramatically, and I became to need to wear a down jacket while I rode a bike. Only less than ten days leave before November, so it must be usual temperature now.Yesterday the first game of Japan Pro Baseball championship series was held, and Hanshin Tigers was beaten by Chiba Lotte Marines 1- 11. Hansin Tigers bases in Kansai district, and there are many fans here in Osaka. Tigers became No.1 in 1985, however after that time team had been weak and lowest in rank always, and fan called their team as 'Dame-Tora'( 'Dame' means 'Not-good, impossible and so on -strongly negative adjective. 'Tora' means tiger.) But many fan loved Tigers, and continued to cheer for the Tigers. Two years ago manager Hoshino dramatically changed the team and led this 'dame' team to No.1. Last year Tigers was in the forth in rank, but this year manager Okada won in the Central League, and now team is trying to win Japan Championship series.
I am not a hard-core fan of Hanshin Tigers, but I had to hope Tigers win if the opposing team's manager was not him - Mr. Bobby Valentine.
Some customers must know Bobby Valentine, who was the manager of New York Mets. Before he worked for Mets, he was the manager of Lotte Marines for a year, and strengthened the team incredibly during only a year. For a long time Lotte was always lowest in the rank, but that year the team nearly won in the Pacific League. He promoted players independence, cheered players and led the team tactfully. And he never forgot to serve fan. Fan and players anticipated him to stay the team and win the Pacific League next year, but general manager dismissed him suddenly.>From next year Lotte returned to the lowest rank again. Bobby returned to USA, and became a manager of New York Mets, and won National League in 2000.
This year Bobby returned to Japan as the manager of Chiba Lotte Marines again. And Lotte recovered from the doldrums, and won the Pacific League.
He wrote an essay several months ago in the news paper. He wrote that he believed to return to Japan and work for Japanese baseball again when he came back to USA. He felt an unaccountable bond to Japan, and he had a dream to become a leader of Japan pro baseball.
In 1970 he was a player of minor league of Dodgers, he got hit a pitch in the cheek. He walked back to club house by himself, and an unacquainted Japanese came with him and said that the injury was very serious and he needed emergency operation. Bobby was brought into an ambulance, and that Japanese also came with him.American doctors tried to cut off the bone fragments, but it seemed to be very difficult. As a matter of fact, that Japanese was the hard-core fan of Dodgers, and at a time he was a good orthopaedist. He had a God hand of operation, and helped the American doctors and finished the 32 stitches of surgery without leaving any scars. He left while Bobby was in senseless sleep, without saying his name.Bobby greatly appreciated him, and tried to find him later. But when he got his name, the Japanese doctor already gone. He was the first Major League player who used Japanese made gloves, and that maker invited him to Japan as a teachers of baseball. And there were some more occasion to nature his feeling to Japan.
A 6 years boy in Chiba is suffered serious cardiac disease, and he needs the emergency operation in USA. It costs more than 60 million yen, and parents and friends started to collect money by charity. 20 million yen was collected, and then Chiba Marine Lotter joined the charity. This topic got a lot of media exposure, and the sum reached the goal. This is another story, but ---.
Which team should I cheer? Lovable Dame Tora of our town, or stunning Bobby and his vivid players?Second game of championship is going to start tonight again.
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/marines/english/
We are adding karinu, bolt and obi soon(early next morning here)
We wish you a pleasant Sunday and thank you very much for reading mynewsletter.
Ichiro & Yuka WadaKimono Flea Market "ICHIROYA"http://www.ichiroya.com
e-mail: info@ichiroya.comaddress: Asia-shoji Bldg.301 1841-1 Nishi 1 chome Wakamatsu cho Tondabayashi city Osaka 584-0025 JAPANTEL&FAX ****( international number ) - 81-721-23-5446