Everyone sat quietly, but I could feel an energy in the crowd, and when each team came out that energy erupted from the whole stadium. I don’t just mean the people supporting that team – I mean the whole stadium. A chant started. It wasn’t the disorganised rabble calling out a mix of ‘Go the Tigers!” and “Oi Oi Oi,” that I’d expect in Australia. Japanese chants are organised. There was a bloke at the front of the stadium, turned to face the crowd, wearing a Tiger’s happy coat and cap. He held two Tiger’s bats over his head and clapped them together in a rhythm I’ve never heard before, but instantly every Tiger’s follower was beating out the same rhythm and I was joining in. The game began.