A historical Study on the genesis of professional baseball at modern Japan
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　(from 1910's to 1930's)
　- main study on analysis of baseball events sponsored by newspaper companies -

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yoshinori WATANUKI
　　　　　　　　　　　(Graduate School of Health and Sport Science
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Nippon Sport Science University)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Abstract

　　The purpose of this study is to clarify how baseball events sponsored by newspaper compa-
nies have changed as way of sales promotion to aim at the course from amateur baseball
events sponsored by Osaka-Asahi, Osaka-Mainichi to professional baseball events sponsored
by Yomiuri.
　　This study gives the following findings.
1. By Taisho age (1912―1926), the terms for holding baseball event, for example, the spread
　and progress of baseball, commercialization of the press, appearence of mass society, pro-
　gress of railroad line development projected by railway corporations, were prepared.
2. Osaka-Asahi and Osaka-Mainichi held amateur baseball events each other with same idea
　that was Ichiko-baseball thinking much of winning spiritualism and collective principle.
　But when each company concentrated on sales promotion harder and harder, that was re-
　flected in their amateur baseball events and it became more and more difficult for each
　company to embody Ichiko-baseball. And the situation made a foundation to realize pro-
　fessional baseball.
3. In 1924, Matsutaro Shoriki took president's post with Yomiuri. Shoriki made Yomiuri
　rapid progress with business strategy that integrate event news sales and advertisemennt.
　Shoriki made an effort to establish not only Tokyo Giants but Professional Baseball
　League. This business strategy was demonstrated by baseball events especially. So it is not
　too much to say that professional baseball was like a Yomiuri's possession. Yomiuri also
　held professional baseball events to embody Ichiko-baseball. Though Osaka-Asahi and
　Osaka-Mainichi had Ichiko-baseball ideal, finally they held professional baseball events in
　1937.
as mentioned above, I could clarify that newspaper companies have held baseball events for
sales promotion.