Sam Ceisler
Sam earned his Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon and his Bachelor’s in English and film from Binghamton University. He is an aspiring sports journalist, and an avid fan of everything from baseball, to curling, to jai alai. His two favorite teams are the New York Yankees and the New York Jets, so he has plenty of experience with both the highs and the lows of sports fandom.
High Heat in Hanoi: Vietnam’s Baseball Boom
Written with contributions by Joe Whelan of World Baseball Project. It took a lot of scoreless innings before baseball started gaining traction in Vietnam. Back in 1999, a Japanese businessman tried to create a ball club in Ho Chi Minh…
Beyond Baseball: Cherry Blossom Picnics
Traditionally, during Japan’s spring season, thousands of people flock to parks around Japan to see the cherry blossoms and experience a traditional hanami, or “blossom viewing.” A typical cherry-blossom picnic takes place in March as the flowers start to bloom. Friends, families,…
Beyond Baseball: Kentucky for Christmas – Japan’s KFC Tradition
As we’ve discussed before on the JapanBall site, Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Colonel Sanders has a special place in NPB lore. The Hanshin Tigers were supposedly cursed by the Colonel after a group of fans celebrating the team’s 1985 Central League…