Japanese Baseball

From Pete (4-10-06)

Hey,
Good news for Paul...the Yomiuri Giants and the Yakult Swallows are in town around the same time we are thinking of going.  Both teams are Tokyo teams but play in different stadiums...like the Dodgers and Angels.  In Japan, most baseball teams are named after the company that owns them.  Yomiuri is THE newspaper in Tokyo and Yakult is some type of yogurt-like drink.  The Giants are the New York Yankees of Japanese baseball. 
 
Sat. Sept.30 Hiroshima Carp at Giants (Tokyo Dome)
Sun. Oct.1 Hiroshima Carp at Giants
 
Tue. Oct.3 Yokohama Bay Stars at Giants (Pete's birthday!)
Wed. Oct.4 Yokohama Bay Stars at Giants (Pete's US time zone bday!)
Thur. Oct.5 Yokohama Bay Stars at Giants
*Last series of the season
 
Tue. Oct.3 Hanshin Tigers at Swallows (Jingu Stadium, Tokyo)
Wed. Oct.4 Hanshin Tigers at Swallows
Thur. Oct.5 Hanshin Tigers at Swallows
*Last series of the season
 
The Giants are extremely popular and tickets are harder to get but I found a service that says they have had pretty good luck with Giants tickets but ask for a backup game just in case.  The Tigers seem to be the second most popular team.  There's a player on the Tigers that has played in EVERY SINGLE INNING of 904 straight games!  He just broke Cal Ripken Jr's record of 903.  Ripken's 2600+ record counted the games he ENTERED, even if it was just as a pinch hitter.  The service charges $50 per order (regardless of number of tickets) and a $10 courier fee because they deliver to the hotel.  If we do this I would see if they can send the tickets over here.  The tickets are $40 each for good seats.  If the only seats left are cheaper they will give you change back.  So if we have 4 people it will be $55 per person.