Kohei Yotsu holds the first women’s baseball tournament in Japan in 1995
The final of the 25th National High School Women’s Baseball Championship will be held at Koshien for the first time on August 22nd. A dream stage that arrived in a quarter of a century from the first tournament that started at five schools. To realize this, there was a “will” of a person called “the father of women’s baseball.” Mitsuharu Hamamoto, Vice Chairman of the All Japan Women’s Baseball Federation and Representative Director of the National High School Women’s Baseball Federation, spoke about the history and future of women’s baseball in a Full-Count interview. Delivered in 3 serials.
A high school baseball player plays at Koshien for the first time. From the opening game on July 24th to the semi-final on August 1st, it will be held in Tamba City, Hyogo, and only the final will be held at Koshien on August 22nd, which is the rest day of the 103rd National High School Baseball Championship for men. When it was announced on April 28, there was a big response.
“I’ve heard that female directors were more crying and happy than male directors.’I never thought of taking command on the soil of Koshien.’ He said, “I hope you will see the charm of women’s baseball, which is bright and energetic, and different from that of boys,” said Mr. Hamamoto with a gentle smile.
I have fulfilled another promise with the late Kohei Yotsu. Mr. Yotsu held the first women’s baseball tournament in Japan in 1995, “Japan-China Opposition Women’s Junior High School and High School Friendship Baseball Tournament,” and established the National High School Women’s Baseball Federation in 1998. He has contributed to the development of women’s baseball by using his private fortune and is called the “father of women’s baseball.”
When Mr. Hamamoto assumed the role of Hanasaki Tokuharu’s director of the women’s baseball club in 2001, he first visited Mr. Yotsu’s home to learn about the history of women’s baseball. It was such a fateful encounter that I could say, “That was a big turning point in my life. Without this, I wouldn’t be myself now.”
