THE FIGHT SONGS began before the first pitch and never let up. Each time a player approached the plate, thousands of fans packed into the oendan, or outfield cheering section, burst into a different song, all while watching every pitch, every swing of the bat and every routine ground ball with rapt attention. On this particular breezy July night, the hometown Yokohama BayStars were squaring off against the visiting Chunichi Dragons—an ordinary game between two teams that were having so-so seasons. But the enthusiasm of the...

Source: Wall Street Journal August 24, 2018 15:49 UTC