"America's Game?"

We Americans like to see baseball as "our" game. There are, of course, myriad Blue Jay fans (see bluejays.mlb.com)who would disagree! Baseball has also taken Japan by storm. But there is no arguing with the zeal of Red Sox Nation in my hometown. I don't like sports. I just love my Red Sox. Even angry American adolescents in high school gym class can be cajoled into a baseball game. Heck, they made a cheesy romantic comedy about it (Jimmy Fallon only gets a girl like Drew Barrymore in the movies though, guys, sorry). The Red Sox are like a collective first love-when it was bad it was terrible (when they lose, they lose all the way), but when it was good it was AMAZING. So the romance never completely wears off-despite years, miles, trades, crazy ticket prices, and even tarnished, shorn heroes (like Damon) traded to the devil (a.k.a New York).
Here in the ROK, sports are a family affair. Shiny-suit businessmen meet up with their families outside the park. Football is the real fever-the third graders shooting goals outside my school at 8am swear they'll be the next Korean to make the Manchester United Squad. Or they'll die trying. First love, right?
Back to baseball. This past Friday night, I had the opportunity to check out a Woori Heroes vs. Lotte Giants game in Mokdong. As many of my readers know, I had health issues in May, so dropping into the game for a few hours was my first "night out" in a bit. Steve was happy to see me off his couch! :) The tickets cost an amazing $6-$12! Not exactly Fenway prices!
Mulit-million dollar Lotte corp. does everything big, from their stores, to their cinemas, to their fast food chains. Their team is well organized and well supported. I have seen Doosan Bears games before and still have a soft spot for that team and their fans. But it was fun to check out the Woori Tobacco Heroes at their recently established home stadium...
The Lotte Giants were winning when we arrived, and their fans dominated the stadium at first, even though they weren't the "home team." The Giants' five singing, dancing, chanting cheerleaders (yes, sigh, baseball cheerleaders) greeted every play with a choreographed song routine! No tune was off limits-from the Christian song "Rivers Of Bablyon" to the American patriotic anthem Battle Hymn of the Republic-everything was rewritten to be about Lotte, Lotte, Lotte, Lotte! I kept waiting for the "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" Lotte Giants' song-but it appears that they left that song alone, at least! :)
The Giants started strong, they had some foreign wringers and made some early dramatic plays. Their fielding wasn't very good, though-and the Woori Heroes' slow and steady base hits wore them down over the course of the night.
The park was more modest than the Doosan Bears' stadium-but the fans sucked down Cass and spicy ramen, of course (is there any occasion in Korean where one doesn't eat ramen noodles?). Steve also got us a box of barbecue chicken from the chicken cart by the entrance. It was yummy but a tad too spicy for my still recovering tummy.
My favorite moment came in the 8th inning when the fans lit up sparklers-it was fun, festive, and spirited! Go Heroes! It was also burning bright-burning, burning inside enclosed areas even! Creative planning, but maybe not so safe! :)
In the end, the home team Heroes won. It was a great, cheap way to spend a warm evening,and a few Korean little boys felt the love.