Japan manager Sadarahu Oh wasn’t hoisted on his players shoulders following the World Baseball Classic final. That would have been a safer route for the 65-year-old home run king but it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.
Players gathered in a huddle on the field at Petco Park and threw a horizontal Oh up in the air a few times. Oh didn’t seem to mind at all.
And why not? Japan had just won the inaugural World Baseball Classic, and what a classic it was. Japan, nursing a one-run lead, got a lift from a familiar name. Ichiro Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners star, came up with a clutch hit to ignite a four-run ninth for Japan as it knocked off Cuba 10-6 Monday in front of 42,696 at Petco Park.
“I thought I’d never get to manage a team like this,” Oh said.
Or be tossed about in the postgame celebration.
Oh received a standing ovation as Japan was awarded the trophy. Players danced around the field to “Celebrate” and “We are the Champions.” Then they circled the field with the Japanese flag.
No word yet if any of those flags were planted in the mound (a la Mount Surabachi or the Korean baseball team).
Naturally, Japanese fans are happy and interest in baseball is on the rise (and might stay higher unless they do well in the World Cup).
By the way, did I mention that Team USA was not in the finals?
Congratulations Team Japan.
37 Comments
i don’t care about baseball. when i found out about this series, i was only casually interested. for instance, i never looked for any information about the games while they were being played. that’s until today when i read an article about japans’ ‘win’. I think the koreans have a legitimate gripe here. they won the most games but japan gets the crown.
‘i saw the interivew.’ poster
but i didn’t. i’ll take the word of the iht.
I agree with pawikirogi. Since the rules of the WBC clearly state that whoever wins the most games should win the championship, Koreans do have a legitimate gripe here.
It’s just as legitimate as Al Gore’s gripe in 2000. He clearly had the most votes, and Article 2 of the constitution clearly states that whoever gets the most votes, wins.
In a fair and just world, Al Gore would be President and Korea would be World Baseball Classic champion.
But we don’t live in a fair and just world. We live in a world filled with scheming American baseball executives and vicious Republican thugs, hell-bent on denying Koreans their rightful trophy and Al Gore his rightful office.
You brutish, arrogant, moronic Americans should be ashamed of yourselves. Perhaps you could learn something if you came to Korea and observed a country full of people with the higest standards of integrity, honesty, and dedication to the rule of law.
Koreans deserved to win the crown after winning 6 out of 7. *ducks*
*waits for a blueballs 10 page essay about how much koreans suck*
Shouldn’t this be called the true “World Series” instead of the games in October?
Oops. I did not mean to start the whole “Korea should have won” debate again.
cm,
I might be up for the name change but we would first have to have more of the best players show up and have it in the fall, when the players are in top form.
In any case, the winners of the World Series, Stanley Cup, Super Bowl and NBA championship have gotten there by beating the best players in the world, so the title “world champion” fits.
The only thing missing is the nationalism aspect. “Taiwan crushed China” certainly sounds more dramatic than “The Braves beat the Dodgers.”
Thanks to pawikirogi, I have just uncovered another travesty of justice. I’ve found an instance in the most recent NFL season, where the team that did not win the most games was actually AWARDED THE SUPER BOWL TROPHY!
The Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers both ended the season with 15 wins. However, thanks to some ruthless, lying American conspiracists, the Pittsburgh Steelers were declared Champions, when they DID NOT DESERVE IT! The Seattle Seahawks won just as many games as Pittsburgh did, and they deserve to be CO-CHAMPIONS!
Many of you may not understand the ramifications of this, but I’ll tell you what it means:
HINES WARD IS A FRAUD!
How can he claim to be the MVP of the Super Bowl when his own team is not even the sole champion?
It’s disgusting how these Americans — so-called spreaders of democracy, freedom, and fairness — can just decide whoever they want to be champions without even considering who won the most games.
DISGUSTING I TELL YOU!
Hines Ward needs to immediately return his MVP trophy to the proper authorities, and apologize to the Seattle Seahawks and all football fans worldwide for his clearly selfish display of selfish selfishness.
I even now have a hard time believing that Ward is half-Korean, because if he really had Korean blood in his veins, he would have known about the “whoever wins the most games is the champion” principle of fairness pioneered by the most rules-abiding nation on the face of the earth, which is the Republic of Korea.
Quite the contrary G1, I am only now beginning to realize how right the Korean media and netizens were all along. Mine eyes have been opened to the reality, and quite a disturbing one it is.
I will now dedicate my life to going back through the historical records of all major sports, in search of so-called “champions” that did not win the most games. There are literally thousands of injustices we need to overturn, my Korean brothers and sisters. This is only the beginning, but I will need your help if we are to restore championships to their rightful owners and destroy this dictatorship of American-ruled single-elimination tyranny.
I’ve received my first tip minutes ago via email from an anonymous source who informs me that Villanova in fact won fewer games in 1985 than Georgetown. I’m quite sure that this will please the owner of this blog and he will join my expedition into historical wrongs that must be righted.
Onward soldiers! To the archives!
In case anyone is interested in a little shopping.
>pawikirogi
Can you read Japanese? I could gave a link to that interview, well but it is maybe not important any more.
It was a really a great game, with all the dramas, but what I love most was the attitude of the cuban players who just lined up and congratulated team Japan.
It was a great display of sportsmanship, and I hope that the Japanese players can display something like that next time when they loose at a championship.
By the way I agree, the Korean team was the greatest surprise of the tornament and top class in their defence and pitching.
It would be of no wonder if they were at the place where Japan now is.
Next WBC games will be even more exciting. I am sure that there will be more top majour leaguers in the tournament.
you’ve outdone yourself IHBB. for the second time today i have actually peed my pants (urkel’s non-medicated code-red state of emergency spiel about someone’s lost phone being the first).
I watched the final on ESPN, and one of the commentators there gave great compliments to Korea:
“Korea burst through like a shooting star.”
“Korea was the only country that had no unforced errors throughout the tournament.”
“Korea lost only one game in the whole series.”
“Korea did everything well.”
“Ichiro would have to rethink what he said. Instead of 30 years, it could be 30 minutes.”
Also, after Japan won, they laid down the Japanese flag on the pitcher’s mound. Nobody complained about that, so what South Korea did wasn’t so bad.
Also, the commentator said that Japan would not have even made it to the semi-finals, if Mexico didn’t upset the US.
Mi Hwa,
I’m tempted to write a detailed post about how pathetic it sounds to say after the fact “Korea did this, Korea did that” but I’ll simply say this - Japan won the championship, best to be gracious about it.
Any level headed person would agree that Japan won fair and square according to the unusual format.
I am pretty sure that they will change the format so that the advancing team from one pool with the best record will be awarded by being pitted against the advancing team with the second best record from the other pool. This is the norm in most renowned tournaments around the world. WBC is in the process of becoming a renowned tournament so let’s not be too hard on it.
No use crying over spilt milk, let’s congratulate the Japanese team. There is no doubt in anyones mind now that team Korea can play ball with the best of them.
Mi Hwa, how about celebrating the good performance by the Korean team, WITHOUT minimizing Japanese performance. They deserved to be there and they won fair and square. Yeah, luck was on their side, but Korea also had luck on their side. It evened out in the end. It’s just a game, not a war. Please, I hope you and Pawigirogi give it a rest.
I hold out hope for Mi Hwa. Pawikirogi, on the other hand…
CM: Ichiro’s “30 years” bragging was so disrespectful and rude to other countries, that it reduces Japan’s victory in the opinions of many.
Oops. My bad.
—Sigh—
A lot of the people I talked to were quite receptive to my comments today.
1) Korea played amazing ball for about 62 innings - they had one bad inning. That is something to be proud of
2) Japan and Korea together raised awareness and respect for Asian ball. That is something to be proud of.
IHBB,
You suck. Had to clean cola off of my screen.
The Korean media had a great series, too, performing at the level we’ve come to expect and affirming their international reputation.
SOUR GRAPES
MBC News Desk:
The Korean press refuses to give Japan credit for the win, suggesting that their win was just luck.
Yeah, that seems to be the tone of the media here, that Japan won because they were lucky, which explains why people like Mi Hwa think what they think. Korea, you not only have to learn how to win, but how to lose as well. You can also see the evidence of the savagery of the Korean internet community. The internet wave is filled with racial slurs against Japanese and Americans (almost like pack of dogs preying on herd of sheep). One wonders where the moderators are (if there are any) in these sites. This doesn’t surprise me that internet is being used as a tool to attack people in Korea, but nonethless it’s still appalling to me. Pawikirogi, if you’re wondering, I think this is one perfect reason why so many expats are always down on Korea.
Not only that, all the sour grapes in Korea makes Japan look like the moral winners in everything, and makes non-koreans difficult to cheer on for anything Korean.
The country maybe well off materialistically, but the mindset is still in the Third World.
The mindset has to mature (they’ve got a long way to go), for Korea to be considered a fully developed country.
if you don’t want to be an angry man in Korea, I guess it’s best not to read/watch the Korean news.
cm - Good comments. However, if the Korean press grew up us expats wouldn’t have nearly as much fun here and we’d probably leave out of boredom. Christ, what else would we talk about at 3 Alley?
Try to imagine this conversation:
“The levelheaded Korean media really handled the WBC well.”
“Yes, they sure translated Ichiro’s comments perfectly and explained how he was trying to motivate his teammates.”
“No doubt. And the media congratulating the Japanese team’s effort and encouraging Korean fans to support Japan in the final as a show of Asian solidarity–class act.”
“Very sporting, that.”
I don’t even think John Lennon could’ve imagined that.
A perfect tournament it certainly wasn’t.
“During the months ahead, the format, the rules, the officiating, the timing and the logistics of the tournament will be picked apart with a fine-tooth comb”
Looks like there definitely will be changes for the better. It still did wonders for the game of baseball.
I still maintain that Korean media and internet community otherwise known as the super-comment-tribe, doesn’t equal the average Korean mindset. Most of my Korean friends couldn’t even give a damn about it. Out of the few who do care, a percentage of them are miffed at the unusual format. NONE of the people I know even know about the crazy commenting on Naver or wherever. Impressions from Internet is far removed from reality sometimes.
Tournament’s over, go walk ya dog ya piece of garbage.
The Internet versions of Korea’s English newspapers have not had much to say about Japan’s winning the WBC championship. Here are links to the sports sections of a few of the Korea’s English language newspapers:
Korea Times
Korea Herald
Dong-A Ilbo
English Chosun
Notice that there is no headline in any of the sports sections mentioning that Japan won the World Baseball Classic. While the strategy of the Korean language news media seems to be to dismiss it by saying, “They were lucky”; the strategy of Korea’s English language media seems to be, “Let’s not talk about it,” and eliminate any reference to it as soon as possible.
There was nothing on it in the Australian media too. Funny that.
I couldn’t easily find it in the Orange County Register, even though many of the games were played in OC and the championship was next door in San Diego.
But then again, with Korea claiming Orange County as part of the ROK, controlling the news outlets must have been one of the first orders of business.
Oh, and despite their team being crowned champions, it seems some in the Japanese media are still not happy about that one errant call and are pointing out that the umpires were all American.
Must all be Korean, eh? I guess the Nihon Keizai Shimbun should be renamed the Nihon Keizainichi.
By the way, the Ducks appear playoff-worthy, so says the OC Register.
Kushibo, your comments are unfair.
There is a huge difference between an argument in which the aim is to disscuss AFTER the tournament the problems which were left, and could be bettered for the next one, and an argument in which the aim is to minimize others efforts and justify their own failor.
In case you don’t know, team Japan became the champinon of this tournament, and there is no need to minimize others or to suspect any conspiracy theory which robbed a deserved championship.
As far as I know, any paper in Japan did that (Nihon Keizainichi, eh sorry, Nihon Keizai Shinbun included) after the tournament pointing out that although the tournament was a success (bear in mind that the japanese were also very skeptical about it success), but that the problems of umpiring (in that you just make a rule that an umpire should not umpire a game in which his own native nations is involved. A common rule in the soccer world cup), or the problem of timing of the tournament, or the problem of the format (almost all as far as I know, crediting team korea as the most victim).
And so do many American papers and media (USA today, eh sorry, “Zainichi today” and Sports ESPN, eh sorry, “Kimchi ESPN” maybe?).
That said, I am interested whether there are NO CRITICS in korea about the attidude of the their players after the second win against Team Japan.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not referring to the manner, but the fact that they were just cheering as if they had won the championship.
If the Japanese players did that, I assure you that the media, critics and fan will literaly lynch them.
The aim of Team Japan was to become the champion but not just to win against Team Korea and reach the semi final.
A japanese commentator said that maybe Team Korea was the best team of the tournament, but they don’t deserve the championship because they were overjoyed with just to reach the semi final and to win again Japan.
But if the goal of the Korean team was to suprise the world, and reach the semi final, then no reason to be disappointed. Mission accomplished!!
I am glad to see that they were put in their places. Koreans have been acting arrogantly since the begining of time in typical Korean fashion whenver they win something in sports. Read this piece of trash journalism in the biggest daily in Korea for a dose of how bad the K-media likes to revel in self masturbation.
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....70025.html
The article states that American girls are going ga ga over Koreans now because “Koreans are so handsome and cool.” LOL!!!
If the article above wasn’t so funny given that the members of the Korean team look about as attractive as a rabid chimp, it would be very fitting that a piece of work like this resorting to made up lies so that the home crowd can feel so proud of themselves could come straight from something out of a Nazi eugenics manual. Well, I guess that is the only way Koreans can feel good about themselves.
But we all know how they are the most tasteless winners in the world, bragging and gloating whenever they win or beat Japan/US, but of course, when they lose, they are worse (making death threats to American olympic atheletes who beat Korean atheletes fair and square, whining and throwing chairs at boxing officials in the 1988 Olympics, etc.) You dont see Japanese fans making death threats at the US umpire for the bad call. Completely different mindset.
Looks like a case of sour grapes…I love it! Korea..u guys sucked and Japan clobbered you guys 6:0!!! Hahahah
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....90005.html
OK, so for all the sore losers like Mi Hwa who hate the fact that Japan won and are using the format as an excuse, during the last 2002 World Cup, Brazil did not have the best record overall when the prelimination rounds are included. Actually, Germany had a better record and won 2 more games than Brazil. Thus Brazil did not deserve to win and it was really Germany who should have won the 2002 World Cup.
Hmm…sounds really stupid, doesn’t it? Face it, despite the fact that so many of the haters are jealous and hate the fact that Japan won, Japan won and deserves every single bit of the praise and glory it is receiving.
＞chonko
Hey who are you?
Why are using such a name for your post?
In case you don’t know, Its disgusting!!
Change your name.
“Korea burst through like a shooting star.”
“Korea was the only country that had no unforced errors throughout the tournament.”
“Korea lost only one game in the whole series.”
“Korea did everything well.”
“Ichiro would have to rethink what he said. Instead of 30 years, it could be 30 minutes.”
Korea was also the only country to have been clobbered 6:0 scoreless in the tournment.
Korea is also the only country which bragged about its players somehow being admired by the US female population.
Korea is the only nation which would make death threats against an opponent who got the benefit of the doubt on a lucky call. Umpire Bob Davidson is probably saying a thousand hail marys that it was Japan to whom he made the controversial call and not Korea. Korea would probably have sent out a dozen warships to Hawaii (close to Dokto) and already made a song called “F_cking Bob Davidson” by now.
Some interesting articles I found over at the Daily Chosun Ilbo regarding the World Baseball Classic:
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....70025.html
‘Classic’ Japan Baseball Draws Frank Praise in Korea
When the Japanese team made it into the finals by defeating Korea 6-0 the Chosun-ilbo, Korean Netizen fan-sites and fan sites on ESPN, the official broadcaster of the WBC, were swamped with posts from Korean fans complimenting the Japanese on their game.
“This is true baseball. It was such an interesting game,” wrote one. “The Japanese team has superb pitchers. They are good at fielding and have strong fundamentals,” said another. “Such a great game that I haven’t seen for ages. It was the best-ever!” said a third. At least one Netizen also paid tribute to the Japanese team’s appearance saying, “Japanese are so handsome and cool,”
The response may owe something to the high hopes Korean fans at that point had for their own legendary team. Even after that hope was dashed, Korean fans still compared their luckless heroes unfavorably with the Japanese. “The Korean team is such a loser compared to Japan. They are overestimated,” wrote one disgruntled fan.
The Korean media has also been frank in its admiration. The Korea Times cited Korea’s team manager, as praising the Japanese team’s talent, spirit and preparation. MLB.com went further, hailing Japan as the best team in the world right now, a “Classic” formation.
Clearly, Japanese baseball has left a strong impression in Korea, impressing with its beauty as well as its undeniable success over opponents.
Oh, here’s the link, by the way, if for some reason you feel you need to verify the source.
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....70025.html
Wait! It doesn’t stop there! The Chosun Ilbo has more!
Japanese Baseball Team Shames Korea in WBC Triumph
The Japanese national team dealt an ego-bruising 6-0 defeat to Korea on Sunday during the semi-final game at the World Baseball Classic in the Angels Stadium at Anaheim, California. By sending the Korean team home packing, Japan has once again shown Korea that Japan is still the teacher, and Korea is still the student.
It was Japan great Kosuke Fukudome, easily the best hitter in the Japan League, who threw open the door for Japan’s ascent to the finals with a 2 run homerun. At the top of the seventh inning, Fukudome managed to reel in a pitch thrown by the Korea’s KIm Byung-hun, sending it sailing out of the park in a sign of the thrashing that was to come.
Team Korea served up some last-minute fireworks when one batter managed to get a walk in the 9th inning. A far cry from the needed comeback, it at least provided a bit of relief for fans who had managed to stick out the heartbreak and unseasonably chilly weather
Great article boys. That’s some of that ‘fair, balanced, you report, we decide’ type stuff you guys have become famous for.
Oops, almost forgot the link for that classic piece of sports journalism.
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....40026.html
Chamsil stadium in Seoul, where legions of Korean fans came to watch the Japan team “spank” the Koreans on the big screen.
By the way, anyone got a Japanese flag? I understand it’s customary to plant the winning teams flag on the pitcher’s mound.
And finally one more from our mighty Chosun sports crew:
Korea Smarts at Japan Blow to Its Pride in WBC Game
Korea is in a state of shock after its defeat at the hands of Japan baseball aces in the ongoing World Baseball Classic. The sting of defeat was all the worse coming from a team the Koreans had begun to consider inferior. On Sunday evening, the local press chorused in unison on Lee Seung-yeop’s failure to produce and Ichiro’s strong performance, some referring to the match as “the Great Korean Defeat.” Ichiro’s face was on all the TV channels, with big broadcasters covering the match in every last detail.
The Korea Times was covered in bold print that read, ” Kosuke Fukudome the Pulverizer — Seventh inning spankfest”. Korea’s top internet portal, Naver, was forced in pathetic desperation to come up with wild stories about how America conspired to keep Korea down. The online edition of the Korea Herald was forced to avert its eyes from the WBC. It ran news about the upcoming World Cup instead.
Most of the sports dailies led with a picture of Korea’s top player, Lee Seung-yeop in despair. The Sports Kochu titled “Zero hits in the last 7 at bats, Shame, Seung-yeop”.
And the link for that little gem can be found here.
http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....60002.html
Keep up the good work, Chosun-ilbo. The world has never seen a team of sports writers quite like your crew. Keep keepin’ it real fellas.
Today, Bae Yeong-su said that he “did not feel bad” about hitting Ichiro with a wild pitch during the game where Japan shut out Korea 6-0. HERE
Chonko - that last bit was the Party Pooper’s parody of the Korean media. It’s not clear to me that you know that, but either way, he should be credited with another fine poopjob.
I have to admit that my admiration for the Korean team and their fine WBC performance and the good it might do for Asian baseball’s world profile was tempered by concern that they would be either insufferable winners or sore losers.
I always thought that Bill Russel had the best response to those who ask whether or not the best team actually won………..”That’s why they keep score.”