Personal Trainer

Regan Shaors


Towards the end of the Nineteenth Century, during the Meiji
period, baseball was introduced to Japan from the United
States. That was 1873, and it remained an amateur sport for
a good long while. Some experts suggest that Japan is today
the worldwide home of amateur baseball.

Till the 1920s, Japan experienced very little pro action.
It was in 1936 that Japan saw many teams making up the
league. Nippon Professional Baseball League was formed and
it started with six teams. A place near Osaka hosted the
Japan's first pro season in April 1936. The league is
played till date in Japan.

Although, with six teams in the early days, there weren't
exactly a lot of games. Then there was a forced break during
the second World War. But Japanese teams today play a good
number of games - about 140 a year. In fact there are now
twelve teams split into two divisions - the Central League
and the Pacific League. In season the several games are
featured live on television each week.

The teams all have nicknames like any North American team -
the full line up is the Giants, the Hawks, the Carp, the
Lions, the Baystars, the Marines, the Swallows, the
Fighters, the Tigers, the Buffaloes, the Dragons, and the
Bluewave. A mix of familiar names with some Japanese
inspired names (the Carps and the Dragons for example).

Unlike in the US and Canada however, the teams aren't named
after the city where they are based but after the team
owners. So for example the Fighters are properly called the
Nippon Ham Fighters - they're owned by a meat conglomerate.

Like any Japanese style, the christening also has a meaning
behind it. There are some teams that based in the same
city. Such teams also have to practice in the same stadium,
due to limitation of space. The stadiums in the metro, on
the other hand, have great facilities.

So much baseball played in cities is great for city-based
fans who can go to both home and away matches without
travelling out of city! It's less good for any fans based in
the countryside however, and all the teams are obliged to
play ten or more games on the road out and of the city.

There is another striking difference between the Japanese
and American baseball. In Japanese league, a game remains a
tie even after being tied after 12 innings. The Japanese
use smaller and less heavy balls in the league. Japanese
just play all-star games and the Japan Series unlike
Americans who also play interleague games.

Those few Japanese ball players who have hit the big time in
the US playing in the Majors are big stars back in Japan,
where their trials and tribulations are closely followed by
an enthusiastic fan base.

Regan Shaors is the editor of

There are all sorts of allergies to make people miserable.
Some aren't serious enough to be anything more than a
nuisance, while others can kill. Relief is always on the
front burner for those who have them. Dust mites, pollen
and peanuts are only a few of the thousands of things that
can trigger an allergic reaction. Be sure to let everyone
around you know if you have a life-threatening allergy,
such as to peanuts. Just smelling them can bring on a
potentially fatal attack.

Dust mite allergies are actually very common. There are
many ways that you can reduce the allergens around your
home and experience allergy relief. For starters you
should minimize the amount of carpet you have in your home.
Carpet is a breeding ground for dust mites and you would
need to have someone vacuum for you on a regular basis in
order to keep your dust mite allergies under control. You
should also always have someone dust for you and ask them
to use a wet cloth that will limit the amount of dust that
can become airborne. An air filter or air purifier may
also be a good idea. A good air filter can also help with
pet allergens such as dander and mold allergens as well.

Allergies to pollen can make the late spring and early
summer a season of misery. Even if you experience an allergy
to airborne pollen, there are some steps you can take to
minimize the affects of these allergens. The most obvious
answer is to limit your exposure to air from the outside,
even limiting the amount of fresh air in your home. Using an
air filter or purifier will also help remove some of the
allergens from the air in the home.

For those individuals that suffer with food allergies, the
easy answer is to try to avoid ingesting those foods.
Sometimes, this is easier said than done. For instance,
someone with a peanut allergy will not only have to avoid
foods that contain peanuts, but even foods that might have
peanuts in trace amounts, such as candy bars, baked goods
that might use peanut oil, even potato chips or French fries
that could be fried in peanut oil. Even eating supposedly
"peanut Free" foods can be a problem if the facility that
produces it uses peanuts or peanut products in its other
foods. There is a potential for cross contamination of the
food, and the affect could be disastrous.

Eating meals out in restaurants can presents a special
challenge to individuals suffering from food allergies. If
you suffer from food allergies, always alert the wait staff
to your allergy so then can tell you and the kitchen staff
of any potential exposure. Some people with food allergies
prefer to not take any chances, and eat all their meals at
home. Some people are not aware of how dangerous exposure to
food allergies can be, and sometimes it's best not to take
chances.

Besides lifestyle changes, there are many allergy
medications available. Even if you choose to purchase
something over-the-counter, make sure to talk to your
doctor first. There may be a problem for you with some of
them, particularly those with antihistamines. Relief is
possible if you are willing to actively seek it, especially
by trying to eliminate as many allergens as possible. Other
than making changes to your lifestyle to avoid the factors
that can trigger an allergic reaction, there are many
different types of medications that you can take. Be sure
to discuss any concerns with your doctor about taking
anti-histamines or any prescription drugs that they can
recommend. Allergy relief is possible, just take these
simple steps to try and remove as much of the allergens
from your life as possible.

Margaret Thomson is the owner of Free Allergy,
a fantastic resource for information about