H2
	 Volume 18
	  Chapter 10 (179)
	   Thief!

 - Page 165 -

(Ch. 10) Thief!

 - Page 166 -

[In 1915 (Taisho Year 4), the "National Middle School Baseball Tourney" began at Osaka Toyonaka Field, between 73 schools.]
[That number has increased over the years, to 4,098 in 1995.]
[And so, 49 teams from the nation's 47 prefectures come together here for this year's...]

(Note: Because of their size, Tokyo and Hokkaido are allowed two representatives each.)

 - Page 167 -

[National High School Baseball Tournament]
[Starting this year, female managers are allowed to sit on the benches,]

Adachi: Huh?

[Like last year, the entire matchups through the third round are decided in advance.]

Adachi: Crap.
	Hello?
	May I speak with Shonen Sunday's Mikami-san?

[With no regard to a mere mangaka's circumstances...]

(Note: As stated previously, there are two Koshien tournaments a year, in the spring and summer.
When the local leagues hold their season in the fall of each year, the 32 teams with the best 
results are chosen to compete in the smaller spring Koshien tournament.  You may recall when 
Meiwa was selected for the spring tournament in Volume 8.  After the spring tournament, each 
prefecture holds a tournament to determine their representative team for the summer tournament.
This is what Meiwa and Senkawa have just won.  Because 49 is not a power of 2, the first three
rounds are determined by lots.  Some teams get byes, some teams have to play all three rounds.
After the three rounds, there are only 8 teams left, and then the quarterfinal matchups are determined.)

 - Page 168 -

[Below a busy August sky.]
[The bullet trains travel west...]

 - Page 169 -

Map: Shin Osaka Station
North: Midosuji Subway Line
West: JR Tokaido - Sanyo Shinkansen
South: JR Tokaido Main Line

PA: Shin Osaka Station, Shin Osaka Station.

 - Page 170 -

Hiro: There are students all over the place.

Noda: Huh?
	Now that you mention it...

Voice: Thief!

 - Page 171 -

Woman: Stop him!

Noda: Hiro!

 - Page 172 -

Thief: Gwargh!

 - Page 173 -

 - Page 174 -

[Hokai Dairoku High (Chiba) Pitcher, Okusawa Tamotsu]

Okusawa: Hey,
	who threw that last weird one?

Yagumo: The forkball is the specialty of Northeast Miyagi.

[Kendaikita High (Miyagi) Pitcher, Yagumo Tetsuya]

[Hamako High (Kanagawa) Pitcher, Asaoka Masafumi]

Asaoka: You never learn.
	You should have realized your forkball is useless against national teams this spring.

Yagumo: I didn't want to hurt him TOO much with a good fastball.
	Heheh.

Udagawa: Shut up, you sneaky little punk.
	I haven't seen you throw a "good fastball" yet.

[Atsusho Academy (Fukuoka) Pitcher, Udagawa Toshi]

 - Page 175 -

Okusawa: Anyways, mine hit him first.
	The rest were unnecessary.

Asaoka: Hmph!
	Anyone can hit a man on the torso.
	You have to aim for the leg, to keep him from getting away.
	As long as you have confidence in your control.

Udagawa: A calm and collected pitcher will hit a man on the butt, where the damage is minimal.

Yagumo: A fastball is dangerous no matter where you throw it.

Guys: Shut up!
	You don't count.
	What?!

Thief: {You stupid little turds...}

 - Page 176 -

 - Page 177 -

Noda: I think you should have just gone up and said hello like a normal person.

Hiro: No, that worked.

Haruka: Kunimi-kun,
	over here!
	Hurry!

 - Page 178 -

Sign: South Tokyo Representative
	Meiwa Daiichi High School
	Baseball Team

Sign: North Tokyo Representative
	Tenkawa High School

 - Page 179 -

Girls: Waaaa!
	Kyaaaa!
	Waaa!

Kine: Oooh,
	look at them all.

Player: Yeah!
	Hold on girls, we'll give you autographs right away.

Kine: Howdy.

 - Page 180 -

Girls: They're not Meiwa.
	Jerks!
	Why was I screaming?
	That's not fair, they can't put two schools in the same place.
	Yeah.

Haruka: Sheesh!
	Talk about rude.

Koda: Now now,
	we might be hot news in Tokyo, but the rest of the nation still sees us as no-name first-timers.

Haruka: We beat Eikyo Academy in the prelims!

 - Page 181 -

Koga: Here, Eikyo Academy.

Paper: HIROTA [Eikyo]
	Switches to Hitter?!
	Pitching Life in Jeopardy
	His frustrating semifinal loss was due to an injured elbow

Haruka: That's just a bunch of bull he made up as an excuse!

Koga: Now now.
	We must be humble.
	The Koshien is already harsh enough to first-time schools.

Sign: Welcome
	North Tokyo Representative
	Tenkawa High School

 - Page 182 -

Koga: Hey!
	Who's responsible for this?!
	What's this "Tenkawa"?!
	We're SENKAWA!
	Senkawa High School, the team that beat Eikyo Academy on the way to the Koshien!

Sign: Welcome
	North Tokyo Representative
	Tenkawa High School

Noda: What's he yelling about?

Hiro: It's getting noisy outside.
	Meiwa's here.

 - Chapter 10 End -

 - Volume 18 End -