A 60-year-old message from a former high school baseball player who "disliked Okinawa" July 15, 16:25

High school baseball that produces many dramas every year.

That hot summer has come.

In the summer of 60 years ago, a special match that remains in the history of high school baseball was held in Miyazaki.

The "South Kyushu Tournament" where representatives from Miyazaki and Okinawa fought for participation in Koshien.

"I thought we were going to Koshien before the match ..."

The scene seen by the ace of Oyodo High School in Miyazaki who went up to the mound aiming for the dream Koshien.

From the defeat of the war, I have been sick of "Okinawa" that I have been holding for decades.

What was the first word you said after 60 years?

(Miyazaki Broadcasting Station Photographer Torusuke Kobayashi)

Southern Kyushu tournament to participate in Koshien

A photo found in Miyazaki's local newspaper, Miyazaki Nichinichi Shinbun.

It was in the negative of the film that was secretly stored in the office building.

The photo was taken on July 29, 1962.

A match between Oyodo High School representing Miyazaki and Okinawa High School representing Okinawa fighting for Koshien participation.

It was a day when the summer sun over 30 degrees shined.

The National High School Baseball Championship "South Kyushu Tournament" was held at the Miyazaki Prefectural Baseball Stadium in the center of Miyazaki City.

At the time when the number of high schools was still small, it was not the one prefecture and one representative who participated in Koshien as it is now.

One of them is the Southern Kyushu Tournament, where representatives from Miyazaki and Okinawa fought.

Held for 15 years from 1960, the winning high school advanced to Koshien.

The representative of Miyazaki this year is Oyodo High School.

It was the third time to participate in Koshien for the first time in two years.

Okinawa, on the other hand, is Okinawa High School.

In both the previous year and the year before last, Miyazaki won the Okinawa national team and participated in Koshien.

There is no doubt that Miyazaki will win this time as well.

That's what everyone thought ...

I can't lose to Okinawa

Kenyasu Miura

"I wasn't able to fit in the stadium on that day. The heat of the stand was so hot that it was a hot summer day with strong sunlight."

Kenyasu Miura (78) who went up to the mound as a starting lineup for Oyodo High School.

It was an immovable ace.

At that time, Miyazaki Prefecture was a group of strong schools.

Toshihiko Sei, who later joined the Nishitetsu Lions (now Saitama Seibu Lions) at Takanabe High School and won a total of 100 active wins.

Miyazaki Commercial was a golden generation, including Toru Ogawa, who participated in the most 1908 games of the Kintetsu Buffaloes (now Orix Buffaloes).

Oyodo High School, which owns Miura, defeated such powerful players and won the Miyazaki Prefectural Tournament.

By the time I became the representative of Miyazaki, I had already got a ticket to Koshien.

Kenyasu Miura

"We can go to Koshien when we win the championship candidate Takanabe High School in the prefectural tournament. Even in Kyushu, Miyazaki's high school at that time was technically high level. I was looking down before the fight, I thought I would never lose to Okinawa. "

Prefectural baseball field surrounded by a strange atmosphere

The Southern Kyushu Tournament was held alternately in Miyazaki and Okinawa.

This year was Miyazaki.

The stage of the national team match was the Miyazaki Prefectural Baseball Stadium.

The stands packed with more than 5,000 spectators are overcrowded with each other.

There were even spectators climbing up the fence.

A stadium that can be said to be the home of Oyodo High School.

However, it was wrapped in a strange atmosphere before the game.

The situation is recorded in the newspaper at that time.

From the Miyazaki Nichinichi Shinbun,

"Before the game started, when Oyodo's seat was knocked, Mikoshi of the summer festival suddenly came from the light stand. Supporting Okinawa High School struggling in a foreign country."

There was also a joint brass band on the third base side and the stand of Okinawa High School.

High school volunteers who lost to Oyodo High School in the prefectural qualifying gathered and cheered on Okinawa.

Okinawa at that time was still under American rule.

It was an era when you needed a passport to come to Miyazaki from Okinawa.

The entire stadium was filled with enthusiasm to support Okinawa High School on behalf of the Okinawan people.

Kenyasu Miura

"There are many people who support Okinawa when they look around the stand. I wonder why everyone is supporting Okinawa ... I'm upset. The home should be Miyazaki."

No way, no way defeat ...

And the match started.

Immediately after Oyodo High School scored one goal, Miura was caught by the Okinawa High School batting line four times.

I don't have the usual speed straight, probably because of the fatigue of the prefectural tournament.

The control is also sweet.

He was hit by a ball gathered in the middle.

He also walked and ally's errors, and he scored four goals at once.

On the other hand, the batting line also struggled with the rising fastball of pitcher Sohachi Aniya of Okinawa High School.

The batting line, which scored 19 goals in four games of the prefectural tournament, was also silenced.

Miura-san

"I'm impatient during the match. I can't batting myself ..." It shouldn't be like this "," It's not like this "and" Stop time "."

No way, no way.

The crazy rhythm never returned.

4 hits sporadically in front of Anjinya.

Oyodo High School lost 2-4.

This was the first time Miyazaki had lost to Okinawa at the Southern Kyushu Tournament.

The dream of participating in Miura's Koshien came true in an unexpected way.

On the other hand, Okinawa High School overturned the reputation of Shimouma.

Except for participation in special slots such as commemorative tournaments, it was a historic day when Okinawa Prefecture decided to participate in Koshien for the first time.

Feelings for Okinawa that continued to drag

A stand that springs up.

There was a great cheer to congratulate Okinawa.

From the Mainichi Shimbun, "Okinawa Nine, who goes around the ground with the purple-navy championship flag at the head, was given applause like Arashi

from

the Hitomimo Urumi stand to the excitement of the victory that they took for the first time."

"Compared to the winning Okinawa bench, the Oyodo side was sunk to the point of pity."

While the defeated Miura and Oyodo Nine raise their voices of envy ...

It was written in the newspaper at that time that an unbelievable voice was raised in the rainy day defeat.

From the Miyazaki Nichinichi Shinbun,

"This is the first time that the prefectural team has lost to Okinawa. For that reason, some fans who packed up the prefectural stadium said," It's a shame for this prefecture. "

Miyazaki's shame ...

Miura couldn't return home after the match.

He withdrew for two weeks at his brother's house, where he lived away without a face to match his neighbors who supported him.

Only baseball, but baseball.

The defeat, which can be said to be humiliating, will continue to pierce the chest of a teenage sensitive ball child as a thorn.

Until that day comes.

Mr. Miura

"Even if I got a job, got married, or had a child, the regret that I lost to Okinawa never disappeared from my mind. I hate hearing about Okinawa, no matter what I do, Okinawa I didn't like that, I didn't like listening to Okinawan music. "

Victory from "defeated naturally"

On the other hand, how did the players of Okinawa High School feel that historic victory?

Okinawan ace Sohachi Aniya, who threw at Miura in that match, looked back with a gentle face.

Mr. Aniya:

"I've never been to the mainland, and I didn't know much about Koshien. It's only after winning the Oyodo game that I can go to that kind of place. The difference is already obvious. Until now, my seniors haven't won, and I think it's natural to lose. We were fighting because we thought we couldn't win. It's natural to lose. "

Okinawa is the only place in Japan where a fierce ground battle involving residents was held.

One in four people in the prefecture was killed.

Under the rule of the United States even after the war, there was an unreasonable difference from the mainland, which continues to recover.

Anjinya and his colleagues couldn't afford expensive bats and gloves, or even use new balls.

Yasuniya who became the "star of Okinawa"

The Koshien ticket that I got in the "defeated natural" game.

It was a major turning point in life for Anjinya.

After graduating from high school, he joined Hiroshima Carp after playing baseball for adults.

From his first year, he won his first professional victory and was called "Okinawa no Hoshi".

He has a rugged personality.

He won with a sharp shot as a weapon and accumulated stars, and his total of 119 wins in active duty.

He is still active as a professional baseball commentator when he retires.

Mr. Aniya:

"I'm working on baseball like this now, I think it's all about my life now that I was able to beat that Oyodo High School and go to Koshien. If that hadn't been to Koshien, I wouldn't be there now. "

An unexpected turning point that I visited when I was 60 years old

Miura was said to be "the shame of Miyazaki."

He continued to have a refracted feeling for Okinawa.

The big turning point for Miura was the 60-year-old 60-year-old, more than 40 years after that match.

Yoko, a nine-year-old wife who couldn't see Miura who had been dragging forever, proposed a family trip to celebrate her 60th birthday.

The destination is Okinawa, which Miura kept avoiding.

It was my first trip to Okinawa.

A sightseeing bus tour of the famous places that I reluctantly participated in.

An event that shook Miura's heart happened.

It was when the bus took an unplanned route and passed in front of the former Okinawa High School (now Okinawa Shogaku High School).

Mr. Miura

"This is Okinawa High School where Okinawa went to Koshien for the first time, and the pitcher is Aniya pitcher. It was explained that he went to professional baseball and played an active part. The greatest joy for Okinawans is here. That's what the driver and guide said. "

I used to be a high school baseball player who chased a white ball.

He won the Miyazaki Prefectural Qualifying.

And it was one step closer to participating in Koshien.

He lived without talking to his children and grandchildren.

Miura remained closed to baseball and Okinawa.

Even after more than 40 years, the Okinawans are still proud of the match.

It was the moment when my heart was melted.

Mr. Miura:

"It was a regret that I lost because I was thinking about myself, but when I thought about Okinawa, I knew for the first time that our loss had a very deep meaning, and I was myself. Was it possible to organize in my feelings? "

Words I couldn't say at that time

From Miura to Anjinya.

And I want to tell the people of Okinawa because it's been 60 years now.

"Congrats"

Miura:

"I can't say that at that time, after all. I can't say congratulations to Okinawa when I came here as a 17-year-old and 18-year-old baseball boy. I'm 78 years old now, but I want to say congratulations 60 years ago, Miyazaki. The memory of fighting there at the prefectural stadium is my treasure. "

Miyazaki Broadcasting Station Photographer

Torusuke Kobayashi

Joined in 2016

I want to be a cameraman who can convey the subtleties of

the Miyazaki station through the Osaka station .