The 100th National High School Baseball Tournament Memorial Conference closed with the second consecutive Spring-Summer in Osaka Kin. This year too many new attention players such as Osaka Kiryu Fujiwara Kyoto University, Nega Ko and Akita · Kinoshita Agriculture Yoshida Shinnosu were born. There is a stage like the 'Koshien' where Japanese ball girls admire, also in the United States of the baseball native country. "Tournament of Stars (TOS)". Form of qualifications such as participation qualifications are totally different, but it is the competition that US college ball children yearn for.
June 23, Cary, North Carolina, USA. In the sunshine at a temperature of 33 degrees, the final match of Brave versus United was held. Four bases chasing after three points, Mr. Lease · Hynes of the Brave who goes to high school in Florida state is temporarily reversed Mortgage home run. When the high ball batted ball crossed the midfield left fence, a fellow who came out of the bench received a rough blessing beside the main base. The game won the Brave 14-8. The team got a gold medal and got into a group photo with a smile.
It is held once a year, a figure that rejoices one play. There are aspects that are not different from Japan, but the taste is different. Mr. Matt Bradd, the general manager and director of the men's boy 18 years old (U18), said, "As the highest stage for high school girls, the best is excavation and evaluation of spirits," the aim is to represent U18 representatives It is the first round of selection. Organize the evaluation staff, check not only the competence of the players and the result of the match, but also the attitude in the practice attitude and bench.
Originally part of the U18 representative program, since 2001 the name changed to "TOS". Currently 80 players who are invited are entitled to participate. The schedule is about 1 week including practice day, and it is divided into 4 teams and performs 3 rounds of preliminary rounds and 4 matches of final game or 3rd place. This year is the high school 3rd and 2nd graders born after 2000, 43 players who proceeded to the secondary selection after the finals were announced. The final member is decided in autumn.
According to the National Association of State High Schools (NFHS), 15,579 schools participated in male baseball programs in the 16-17 year season, 491,790 people. Even though everyone is not American citizens, if there are 80 players in it, it is a baseball elite.
There is a narrow gate, motivation of participating players is high. In the defense, play jumping in the inner and outer fields stands out. Even in the attack, there were also players who head sliding to the first base which is not recommended in the major league due to the possibility of failure. Scouts of the MLB 30 teams gathered every year to have promising players. Only a great opportunity to appeal to each team has cried many players who fell in the first order.
Brennan Malone pitcher who boasts the fastest fastest 156 kilometers is "a special place all high school balls aim for". Hunter · Berko who is a pitcher and first baseman who throws a 150 kilometer range and aims to become a professional two-blade sword, said "I am an honor even by putting in this level."
Mr. Chris Carter, who was coaching last year's U18 delegate, also stamped with the tournament that is contributing to the promotion of baseball. "Although it is a short period of time, I can also meet my lifelong friends, I will have memories of my life for the players" (Hiroki Tohta)
US U18 and TOS
In the United States, since 1987, we have been focusing on strengthening the youth generation, starting the U18 representative program. In the U18 World Cup four consecutive championships, last year was nine national races such as defeating the Japanese national team who seemed to be a premier Qing Palace (now Japan Ham). In the past TOS, there are also major league star players such as Clayton · Carshow (Dodgers) three times in the Na League and Sai Young Awards and Blythe · Harper (Nationals) in the home run home for the seventh consecutive year since debuting Many participated. According to Mr. Brad of TOS, it is said that Mike Trout (Angels) of A · League MVP 2 times has been defeated at an early stage, and the height of the level is seen.