The Era of 'Tough Love' - How Violent Coaching Became Normalized
In Japanese professional baseball, acts such as managers and coaches hitting, kicking, and verbally abusing players were long tolerated as part of coaching. This culture was rooted in pre-war military-style education, with the strict hierarchies of high school baseball carried directly into the professional world. The belief that 'being hit makes you stronger' and 'strictness develops players' was widely shared not only among coaches but also among players and fans. Violent coaching was particularly commonplace from the 1960s through the 1990s.
Senichi Hoshino's Iron Fist - Inspiring Story or Violence?
The symbolic figure of violent coaching was Senichi Hoshino. He managed the Chunichi Dragons, Hanshin Tigers, and Rakuten Eagles, leading each team to championships, but was also known for physically disciplining players. Numerous episodes have been reported of him punching players behind the bench after mistakes and screaming in locker rooms. Hoshino's violence tended to be romanticized as 'passion for winning,' but in reality, it also instilled fear in players and stripped them of autonomy. Hoshino himself said 'I hit because I have expectations,' but this logic is completely unacceptable in modern sports coaching.
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Victims of Violent Coaching - Players' Untold Suffering
The damage from violent coaching was difficult to surface for a long time. For players, defying a manager or coach meant losing playing time, making it virtually impossible to speak up. While many players have confessed about violent coaching after retirement, almost none did so publicly during their careers. Beyond physical violence, power harassment took many forms including personality-denying verbal abuse, forced excessive practice, and interference in private lives. Such environments are believed to have seriously affected players' mental health and may have contributed to early retirements and post-retirement social maladjustment.
Signs of Change - Reforms Since the 2010s
In the 2010s, as awareness of harassment grew across society, changes began in NPB as well. The 2013 judo coaching violence scandal rippled across all of Japanese sports, prompting a review of coaching methods in professional baseball. NPB worked with the players' union to develop harassment prevention guidelines and introduced training programs for coaches. Younger generation coaches tend to emphasize data analysis and communication skills, and non-violent coaching styles are gradually becoming mainstream.
Senichi Hoshino's books are also helpful
Remaining Challenges - Toward Eliminating Structural Problems
While surface-level improvements have been made regarding violent coaching in NPB, structural challenges remain. The cycle in which players who experienced violent coaching in high school and amateur baseball enter the pros and eventually become coaches themselves cannot be changed overnight. Additionally, coaching in closed spaces like locker rooms and bullpens is difficult for outsiders to observe, creating environments where harassment is hard to detect. The establishment of independent third-party organizations where players can safely consult, improved effectiveness of anonymous reporting systems, and a fundamental shift away from the value that 'violence is acceptable if you win' are all needed.