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James McKnight (Gunma-ken, 2001-03) recently published Life, Love & Baseball in Japan, the third book in his series in which he shares stories of life as a JET and his experiences as a devoted Hanshin Tigers fan.
Here’s a synopsis in James’ own words:
“Basically, I went to Japan on vacation in 2000 and met some fervent Hanshin Tigers fans when I dared to enter the Koshien left field bleachers on my own for a Giants v. Tigers game. Of course the Tigers lost to the Hideki Matsui-led Giants, but the experience left a deep impression on me since I had always been a fan of underdog teams like the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners. I kept in touch with the fans I met that night and eventually moved to Japan in 2001 to work as a JET ALT. Unfortunately, I was placed in Gunma-ken, not Kansai as I requested, so I was far from Koshien. This did not deter me and I reunited with my friends and became a member of the ouendan they led. I ended up living in Gunma for 12 years and followed the Tigers at home and away games the entire time I lived there.”
“Upon moving back to the U.S., I felt my experiences with my Tigers friends changed my life so much that I wanted to share my stories with other baseball fans and people interested in Japanese culture/education. My first book, “Yellow & Black Fever,” was published on Amazon in 2020, followed by “Bad Foreigner,” in 2021. The first book was translated into Japanese and separated into two short versions in 2022 & 2023.”
“My most recent book, “Life, Love & Baseball in Japan -The Final Chapter,” follows my experiences from 2006-2013 following the Tigers as well as life events like starting a family in Japan and learning how to adapt to being a full-time English teacher (not an ALT) in a college-prep school.”
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