The “Masters Koshien,” an event where high school baseball alumni gather to play, will be held again this year at Hanshin Koshien Stadium on November 9 and 10 (backup date: December 4).
The tournament schedule and participating schools are as follows.
Day 1
8:00–8:30 Opening ceremony and entrance parade
8:45–10:15 Game 1
Municipal Urawa (Saitama) － Gifu Prefecture Selection (Gifu)
10:30–12:00 Game 2
Tone Commercial (Gunma) － PL Gakuen (Osaka)
12:15–13:45 Game 3
Kagoshima Jitsugyo (Kagoshima) － Miyako (Iwate)
14:00–15:30 Game 4
Toryo (Miyagi) － Tottori Ikuei (Tottori)
15 : 35－16 : 00
Koshien Catch Ball I
Day 2
8:00–9:30 Game 1
Koriyama Kita Technical (Fukushima) － Miyakonojo Commercial (Miyazaki)
9:45–11:15 Game 2
Izumo Hokuryo (Shimane) － Naruto (Tokushima)
11:30–13:00 Game 3
Mihara (Hyogo) － Urasoe Commercial (Okinawa)
13:15–14:45 Game 4
Kokufu (Aichi) － Hisai (Mie)
14 : 55－15 : 20
Koshien Catch Ball II
15 : 25－16 : 00 Closing Ceremony
Tournament Overview, Rules, and More
Tournament Philosophy
Launched in 2004 as the first tournament, Masters Koshien aims to become Japan’s “Field of Dreams.” Through the revitalization of OB/OG baseball clubs in local communities by an estimated 2 million former high school baseball players nationwide, the development of baseball culture as a lifelong sport, and the sharing of messages of encouragement with youth generations including current high school baseball players, together with the mature “Masters” generation, the tournament seeks to contribute to the creation and development of vibrant, dream-filled individuals, communities, society, and the future.
1. Masters Koshien for Individuals
Supporting each person’s sense of purpose and a vibrant life
through the challenge of pursuing a dream once again2. Masters Koshien for Communities
Revitalizing alumni gatherings and intergenerational exchange centered on local high schools,
and supporting a stronger sense of belonging and affection for one’s hometown and alma mater3. Masters Koshien for Society
Contributing to the development of lifelong sports culture,
OB/OG culture, and mature-generation culture4. Masters Koshien for the Future
Passing baseball culture on to the youth baseball generation
and sending messages of encouragement(Source: Masters Koshien Official Website)
Rules
The rules change a little each year, but for this tournament, each team is divided into players aged 34 and under and players aged 35 and over. The 34-and-under players compete through the third inning, and the players aged 35 and over take over from the fourth inning onward.
There are also several other differences from the standard rules of hardball baseball.
For details, please see the link below↓
Masters Koshien Main Tournament and Representative OB Game Rules
Highlights
The biggest highlight has to be PL Gakuen.
Although the current baseball club is on hiatus, its alumni roster is packed with legendary names.
I wonder who will be taking part in this tournament (it sounds like Kuwata will be playing).
The famous PL human-letter cheering section and brass band support are also expected to be recreated.
Whether or not you’re a PL fan, high school baseball fans should definitely consider going.
For more details about the tournament, please see the official website below↓
Masters Koshien Official Website
