Chapter 71: Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium
The room was filled with expressions of astonishment when Eijun was awarded the number 11 jersey.
Especially among the first-year students who were still on the second string or hadn't even made it that far, there were clear looks of envy.
This was a first-string number, after all.
Among them, three figures showed a hint of frustration in their eyes: Tojo Hideaki, Kanemaru Shinji, and Takatsu Hiroomi, who didn't appear until the second part in the original series.
"Number 12, catcher, Miyauchi Keisuke."
"Yes."
"Number 13..."
The positions announced by Coach Kataoka after this point were mainly substitutes for various spots since this year's Seidou High School team had reduced two fielding positions due to the addition of two more pitchers.
"Number 18, pitcher, Furuya Satoru!"
"Yes."
Furuya stepped forward with a calm demeanor to receive his jersey number.
It was the same number he had during the Kanto Tournament, but Furuya didn't mind. For now, being a pitcher on the first string and having the opportunity to stand on the mound was satisfying enough for him.
"The supplemental exam, make sure you prepare well."
Coach Kataoka's unexpected comment pierced Furuya like a thousand arrows, leaving him with a particularly interesting expression.
"Yes."
Originally composed, his expression swiftly changed, especially since this comment came from Coach Kataoka. It was even more amusing.
Furuya took his number with a slightly bitter look and quietly returned to the lineup.
Eijun couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
Why was it that Furuya could pass the entrance exams to get into school but somehow fail at the end of term? Maybe he wasn't paying attention in class and didn't even cram at the last minute.
"Number 19, pitcher, Yamazaki Kunio!"
"Yes!"
"Number 20, infielder, Kominato Haruichi."
"Yes!"
Because of Sawamura's different performance this season, the jersey allocation had changed slightly. Haruichi received the number Sawamura had in the original series.
However, for Haruichi, it didn't make much difference.
After all, it's a substitute number. Basically, both in the original and now, Haruichi's role seemed designated for pinch-hitting. If his brother Ryosuke was in top form, there was no way Haruichi would start.
Not to mention the level of understanding between him and Kuramochi.
Haruichi couldn't hope to match the synergy his brother shared with the team.
"Your number is a symbol; it doesn't guarantee a starting position in games. For each game, I will decide the starting lineup and batting order based on your current condition. Don't think that just because you have a number, you can relax. Always show your best, and victory will surely belong to us!!!!"
Coach Kataoka's passionate words energized the players, causing them to respond loudly.
"Yes!!!!"
"Then, Yuuki, let's do this the traditional way," Coach Kataoka nodded, asking Tetsuya, who stood at the forefront, to take the lead.
"Yes."
Eijun felt a little excited as he and the other first-string members huddled into a circle. Even though it wasn't his first time witnessing it, having seen it many times in the original series, seeing and being part of it were entirely different experiences. The team's mantra was truly invigorating.
As everyone formed a circle and bowed slightly, surrounding Tetsuya in the center, Tetsuya extended his thumb towards his chest, his determined expression clear, and loudly declared their vow.
"Who are we?"
"Seido, the champions!"
"Who's shed the most sweat?"
"Seido!"
"Shed the most tears?"
"Seido!!"
"Are you ready to fight?"
"Yes～～"
"With our school's pride in our hearts, we have a single goal"
"The national championship!"
"Lets do this!!"
"Yeahh!!!"
Everyone stood tall, with their index fingers pointing upwards, shouting loudly. It was as if a forcefully fierce aura surrounded them, ready to conquer the world. This was their war cry as champions, their solemn vow!
....
In Tokyo, near Meiji Jingu in Shinjuku, there stands a grand stadium built in 1926. It has been the site for the Tokyo Six University Baseball League games and serves as the home ground for a professional team. As a nationally renowned baseball venue, it also hosts important high school baseball matches.
Today, Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium is the venue for the opening ceremony of the East-West Tokyo National Baseball Championship, as well as the site for the semifinals and finals. Gathered here were 260 representative teams from all over Tokyo's two districts.
"It's so different from how it looks on TV. You only really grasp the vastness of this stadium when you're actually here," Eijun said, marveling.
"Yeah, it looks much more majestic in person than on TV," Haruichi agreed, his face full of wonder as he looked at Jingu Stadium.
"But it's a bit crowded today."
Following their team inside the stadium, they took their designated positions according to the event organizers' sequence.
Eijun wore a slightly wry smile as he commented.
"And it seems like the temperature is really high today," Eijun noted, looking up at the clear skies above. Even though it was only nine in the morning, he anticipated that by ten or eleven, July's early temperatures would become sweltering.
"Well, with over two hundred schools gathered here for the opening ceremony, it's bound to be crowded," Haruichi replied with a hint of resignation.
Despite the stadium's vastness, it was filled with more than two hundred teams and nearly five thousand players.
Behind them, Furuya seemed on the verge of evaporation after standing there for less than half an hour. Eijun and Haruichi had to support him from the front and back to keep him from collapsing.
Does this guy have such low stamina?
It seemed like those from Hokkaido might not be well-adjusted to Tokyo's intense heat yet, Eijun thought to himself.
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