How the “Best Second in Koshien History,” an Alumnus of Shizuoka’s Tokoha Kikugawa, which participated in the Senbatsu Tournament, Became President in the “World of Welfare

If you hit it to second, there is no hope–” That was how the play-by-play announcer described Tomohiro Machida, 32, second baseman for Tokoha Kikugawa High School (now Tokoha Dai-Kikugawa High School), as he ran around the field in the 2008 summer Koshien. The play-by-play announcer described Tomohiro Machida, 32, as “the best second baseman in Koshien history. He was described as “the best second baseman in Koshien history,” and was instrumental in the golden era of Tokiyo Kikugawa’s four consecutive seasons in the Koshien Tournament. However, he later disappeared from the amateur baseball world, let alone the professional world.

Fifteen years later, the famous second baseman is still in Hamamatsu. He is now the president of Gree Corporation, which operates an after-school support facility for children with disabilities. Despite his setbacks, Machida is thriving in his new field. I’m getting more and more people saying, ‘I saw your playbook on YouTube,'” he laughs, “but I was never very good at defense.

I made seven errors at a regional tournament in the fall of my freshman year, and it cost my team. I didn’t like that, so I spent the entire winter taking knocks with my senior shortstop in addition to overall practice. The coach at the time told me, ‘Don’t make the wrong choice’ on a play. Even if I could make an out, it was not good if it was not the right choice. On the other hand, if I made the right choice and made an error, he would just say, ‘Practice makes perfect.

It was a solid defense backed up by a lot of practice. In the summer of 2008, Tokoha Kikugawa advanced to the finals, but suffered a 0-17 loss to Osaka Toin High School, a team that featured Eito Asamura (now Rakuten).

I saw Yoshinori Sato (former Yakult), who was one year older than me, and Asamura, who was in the same grade, play, and I felt there was an overwhelming difference between them. Players who go on to the pros have different physical strength and potential. It is especially amazing that they can produce results at the critical moment even when they are not in good shape. Even if I had made it to the pros, I didn’t think I had the ability to continue to produce results for years.

After graduation, he entered Waseda University and joined the baseball team. After graduation, he entered Waseda University and joined the baseball team, but left after less than a year and quit the university as well. Mr. Machida chose his words a little carefully as he explained how it happened.

I was living in a dormitory at the university and I took things seriously at the time that I would be able to ignore now. I was immature myself. About six months after I left, I was approached by the Yamaha baseball club and made the decision to go into the workforce.

Machida made a “triumphant return” to Yamaha, a local company, and was warmly welcomed by the fans. But this time, however, his body would not listen to him.

I was doing my best to repay the favor of Yamaha, which had taken me off the baseball field once before. However, the back pain that had plagued me since high school worsened. As I moved up from college to the workforce, and as I moved up through the categories, it became less deceptive. In the end, I decided to retire at the age of 23.