Take Back That Summer! The 2020 Summer Koshien, Lost to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Is Finally Happening!

What is "Take Back That Summer"?

Are you familiar with "Take Back That Summer"?

Three summers ago, the National High School Baseball Championship, commonly known as "Summer Koshien," was canceled for the first time since the end of World War II due to the global spread of COVID-19.

Former high school baseball players who lost their "hope for life" at the time and have kept their regrets smoldering deep in their hearts for the three years since. Driven by these feelings, Yuto Otake (a former member of the Josai University Josai High School baseball team, now at Musashino University), who was a third-year high school student in the baseball club at the time, reached out to all 49 high school baseball teams—a total of 1,000 players—who lost their chance to shine on the grand stage of Koshien, and launched the "Take Back That Summer" project.

In this article, we spoke with the project's founder, Mr. Otake, about his thoughts on the project and some memorable episodes.

Thoughts from the Founder, Mr. Otake

—What does the "Take Back That Summer" project mean to you, Mr. Otake?
“It is a project to put an end to that chapter and help everyone move on to the next step. Our goal is for the players to reclaim with their own hands that summer, which was the first to be canceled since the war, and by stepping onto the soil of the sacred Koshien stadium, find closure for their feelings about that summer. I hope this will be the ultimate opportunity for them to experience everything Koshien has to offer—the feel of the soil under their spikes, the scent of the sea breeze, and the view of the Alps stands. And by showing their 'backs' as they stand on the Koshien field, I believe it will be a day of a new beginning that rewards everyone who has supported them until now, including their families, dormitory mothers, and coaches. It will also be the best day for the players to express their gratitude.”

—What did you find most difficult about managing the project?
“Communicating with the players. I was communicating with them online, but I wasn't sure if our feelings were truly connecting, so I traveled to meet them using a camper van and hitchhiking.”

—Many former professional baseball players have also supported this project. Could you share a memorable episode?
“Daisuke Araki. He said, 'Koshien is everything to a young baseball player.' He also said, 'There are demons at Koshien, but there are also gods.' The idea that while there are demons, there are also gods who help you grow as a person—that really left an impression on me.”

—What is the first thing you want to do once the "Take Back That Summer" project is a success?
“Right now, I'm so focused on this project that I can't really think about what comes next.”

—What is your dream for the future?
“Starting with this project, I have received a lot of kindness from many of my seniors. When I reach a point where I can offer advice to others, I want to pay that kindness forward to my juniors. I don't think the method matters.”

—Finally, please give a message to our readers and the viewers who will be watching on the day of the event.
“Our goal is for the players to reclaim with their own hands that summer, which was the first to be canceled since the war, and by stepping onto the soil of the sacred Koshien stadium, find closure for their feelings about that summer. I hope this will be the ultimate opportunity for them to experience everything Koshien has to offer—the feel of the soil under their spikes, the scent of the sea breeze, and the view of the Alps stands. And by showing their 'backs' as they stand on the Koshien field, I believe it will be a day of a new beginning that rewards everyone who has supported them until now, including their families, dormitory mothers, and coaches. It will also be the best day for the players to express their gratitude. I want to make sure that by watching this project, we can give hope to as many people as possible.”

All games streamed for free! How to watch "Take Back That Summer"

"Take Back That Summer: National Former High School Baseball Players Tournament 2020-2023" will be held from Wednesday, November 29th to Friday, December 1st at Hanshin Koshien Stadium and other stadiums in Hyogo Prefecture. The tournament is scheduled to be broadcast and streamed for free on SKY PerfecTV!.

Since it can be viewed without a subscription to SKY PerfecTV!, we hope that all baseball fans and those who want to touch upon the spirit of youth will enjoy "Take Back That Summer."

▼ Click here to watch the stream