The Golden Era again In Fukuoka 柳田悠岐が福岡の黄金時代の扉を再び開ける！

1953年8月29日、中西太氏が平和台球場で推定160メートルの場外ホームランを打ち、その年にトリプル・スリーを成し遂げます。
また、その年より西鉄ライオンズの黄金時代が始まりました。歴史は繰り返されるといいますが、ソフトバンクホークスの柳田悠岐選手になぜか運命的な当時の福岡のノスタルジーのようなものを感じました。ルックスは違いますが中西太氏と柳田悠岐選手の二人には何かしら共通するものがあるのではと思います。

The advent of the repeated historical golden era in Fukuoka, Yanagita opened the door again.

Yokohama Stadium scoreboard was directly attacked by the huge 150 meter homerun. The blast hit by Yuki Yanagita who belongs to Softbank Hawks stormed on the screen board. The huge homerun move not only me but also old Nishitetsu Lions fans to tear.

In Hakata, we have been waiting for the appearance of the bold hero like Futoshi Nakanishi. He was a well-known baseball slugger of Nishitetsu Lions as a super star in 1950’s. Yanagita is a handsome guy who is loved by young ladies, on the contrary Nakanishi was a lovely chubby guy who was popular among young boys. But both of them are really bold, have excellent physical abilities, and are good sports.

Futoshi Nakanishi had set a record for the NPB longest home run at Heiwadai Stadium on August 29, 1953. The huge 160 meter home run out of the ballpark was hit from Giichi Hayashi, Daiei Stars’ pitcher. Also he was the third NPB player that achieved triple three(Ave.300-30HR-30stolen bases) in the same year. The Golden Era of Nishitetsu Lions began with these incidents since the same year, 1953.

I used to live in Sakurazaka near Heiwadai Baseball Stadium when I was an elementary school pupil. From late 1960’s to early 1970's I was looking forward to watching baseball games at Heiwadai and eating maruten udon at a stall behind the back screen. In those days, Nishitetsu Lions had been declined after the Black Fog affair. But I never forget that young players, such as Higashio, Higashida, Takenouchi, Motoi, and Umeda were struggling to regain honor after the players concerned with the affair were expelled from NPB. And most of Lions’ fans hoped that Lions would get better like the Golden Era during 1950’s.

Now I’m sure that Yanagita must be the player who opened the Golden Era’s door like Futoshi Nakanishi.

PS:昭和40年代、当時の福岡、博多の野球を愛した少年達、ファンが、黒い霧事件でどれだけ失望し、落胆したか。今、ソフトバンクホークスの柳田選手が再び福岡の栄光を取り戻す扉を開けてくれようとしています。西鉄ライオンズのオールドファンは、過去の事件を乗り越えた喜び、福岡で強いプロ野球チームを持てた喜び、見れる喜びがあると思います。



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七夕 Tanabata Festival In Hakata

Tanabata Festival In Hakata

Tanabata is the Weaver Star Festival, which occurs on July 7. The Chinese legend, which has it that Altair(the Cowherd Star) and Vega(the Weaver Star) were split apart by the two banks of the River of Heaven(the Milky Way) and come together once a year on this night, has aligned with Japanese belief. Originally a festival carried out among the Court nobility, it has since the Edo Era(1603-1867) become established among the people at large.

On the night of the 6th, people write their wishes or poems on strips of poetry paper in various color. And hung them on leafy bamboo; then on the night of the 7th, they are put out in the garden. These are attractive enough to be called summer Christmas trees. In recent years, cities like Sendai and Hiratsuka attract sightseers by decorating their shopping street arcades with these tanabata decorations on a large-scale. And In Hakata, Kami-kawabata Arcade has the similar decorations from July 20 to August 20.

博多上川端商店街に、山笠の追い山が終わった7月20日ぐらいから8月20日ごろまで仙台などで見られる美しい七夕飾りがアーケードの中に飾られています。