Baseball Manager Uses Hover Craft to Enter Field For His Debut [Video]
American culture and Japanese culture share some similarities, and plenty of differences.
When it comes to the sport of baseball, it's arguably more popular in Japan, in that it's the #1 team sport.
It was once #1 in the U.S., but has fallen behind football and basketball in terms of popularity. Hence the phrase, America's Pasttime.
It's still undeniably big in the U.S. and of course Japan, but the showmanship surrounding pro baseball in Japan is more aligned with pro wrestling as opposed to a peanuts and cracker jacks.
Exhibit A.
Japan's Tsuyoshi "Big Boss" Shinjo made his home debut with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Sapporo this week. His entrance is unrivaled by any baseball debut in American sports.
If a performer uses a similar entrance to "Big Boss" this Sunday at Wrestlemania, it won't be a shock.
If Aaron Boone ever entered Yankee Stadium on a Hover Craft, the solipsistic baseball writers would write a thousand word editorial on how it's killing the sport. Spare me.
I'm team "Big Boss" on this one. MLB could use some spice.
Most of social media agrees.
Shoutout to Tsuyoshi "Big Boss" Shinjo. I'm anxious to see how you top the Hover Craft, and am excited to know NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) will try.