Norway, Iowa : Home of the Ultimate High School Baseball Team
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Japan is currently in the midst of the National High School Baseball Championship Tournament, a major annual event. First held in 1915, and—with the exception of a few interruptions (such as during World War II)—it has taken place every year; this year marks the 108th tournament. Qualifying tournaments have been held since June across all 47 of Japan's prefectures (equivalent to the 50 U.S. states)—with a total of 3,363 high schools participating nationwide. The 49 high school baseball teams that emerged victorious—two each from Tokyo and Hokkaido, and one from every other prefecture—are competing in a tournament spanning 15 days, starting August 5, at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
This National High School Baseball Championship enjoys immense popularity among the public; every game is broadcast live nationwide to high ratings, and throughout the tournament, throngs of enthusiastic fans flock to Hanshin Koshien Stadium every day to watch the games.
For Japanese high school baseball players, winning local qualifiers to reach the main tournament and play at Hanshin Koshien Stadium is a cherished dream. For students aiming to become professional baseball players, participating in this main tournament offers a prime opportunity to catch the eye of professional scouts.
Many Japanese Major League Baseball players—including Ichiro and Hideki Matsui—participated in this main tournament during their high school years. Among active MLB players, Yu Darvish, Yusei Kikuchi, Shohei Ohtani, Masataka Yoshida, Yuki Matsui, Munetaka Murakami, and Kazuma Okamoto all have experience playing in it.
I do not believe there is an equivalent to Japan's National High School Baseball Championship Tournament in the United States. Given that the U.S. is a vast country—roughly 25 times the size of Japan—organizing a nationwide tournament would likely be difficult. Instead, winning a state championship appears to be the primary goal and dream for high school baseball players in the U.S., and some schools have gained fame for achieving that very goal.
In May 2017, while on a road trip across the United States, I was driving along a main road in Iowa when I spotted a sign indicating that a right turn would take me to Norway—just four miles away. I turned right and headed for Norway.
Norway, Iowa. A man named Osman Tuttle—an immigrant from the "Norway" in Europe—laid the foundations of this town in the 19th century and named it after his homeland; that name has remained unchanged to this day.
It is a small town. After all, the population is less than 600. No matter which direction you drive—north, south, east, or west—you pass through the entire town in about five minutes. Naturally, there is no McDonald's or Starbucks. The main street looks rather desolate and unremarkable.
Yet, facing that main street is the "Iowa Baseball Museum of Norway." You might wonder if it's appropriate for a museum in such a tiny town to bear a name that implies it represents all of Iowa baseball—but it is entirely appropriate. After all, this is a town where a baseball "miracle" took place.
In fact, four Major Leaguers (Hal Trosky, Mike Boddicker, Bruce Kimm and Hal Trosky Jr.) and seventeen Minor Leaguers have emerged from this small town. It might well be said that, on a per capita basis, this town has produced the highest number of professional baseball players in the United States. So, was there a reason for such a "miracle"? The best way to find out is to visit the museum.
The museum isn't particularly large; the building is something of a hybrid between a single-story structure and a two-story one.
When I opened the door, a man who had been sitting and working on a computer turned around. He was a middle-aged white man serving as the caretaker. He seemed surprised to see me; his eyes went wide. When I called out,
"Hi! Do you remember me?"
he smiled and replied.
"Of course I remember you. You've come back."
"I'm so happy you remembered me from two years ago." We shook hands.
The caretaker, who remembered me, smiled just as he had two years ago and said,
"The people of this town have always loved baseball. They're absolutely crazy about it."
A tour of the facility reveals a remarkable history that reflects the residents' love of baseball: the baseball team from the local Norway High School has won the Iowa state championship twenty times.
While many of the exhibits chronicle the history and achievements of the Norway High School baseball team, the state championship plaques and trophies neatly arranged in the display cases are truly impressive.
Most of the Major Leaguers and Minor Leaguers hailing from this town came out of the Norway High School baseball team-including three of the four Major Leaguers: Hal Trosky (a first baseman who led the American League in RBIs in 1936), Mike Boddicker (a pitcher who led the American League in wins and ERA in 1984), and Bruce Kimm (a catcher who played four seasons in the Majors). Dedicated spaces have been set up within the facility to showcase their careers in detail.
In fact, Norway High School no longer exists; it was merged into a high school in a larger neighboring district after its final year in 1991. The story of the Norway High baseball team playing its last season just before the school closed was made into the 2007 film *The Final Season*. A poster for the movie was displayed inside the museum, and the tagline written on it—"586 PEOPLE. 100 H.S. STUDENTS. 14 BASEBALL PLAYERS. 1 LAST CHANCE...."—is truly wonderful and stirring.
The film was never released in Japan, nor have DVD or Blu-ray versions been made available there. It makes me wonder why, given how popular high school baseball is in Japan. I believe that if it were released in Japan—even now—it would attract a great deal of attention.
Just as I had two years ago, I took my time looking at the exhibits and caught up with the caretaker—a middle-aged white man—over a conversation about baseball before heading outside. Then, I drove slowly toward the baseball field located at the edge of town.
Although Norway High School is gone, the baseball field—where the team once trained and played—remains, having been renovated. A lovely information board stands nearby.
Just as I had two years ago, I walked around the deserted baseball field, thinking to myself: "This is truly a wonderful town. I hope they keep this baseball field here forever."
(If I've made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I'll try to make corrections or additions.)