Anyone familiar with Japanese baseball and the nonstop cheering that goes on in the outfield bleachers for nine innings may find Wednesday's matchup between the Yomiuri Giants and Yokohama BayStars a rather quiet affair.
At the request of the Giants' players association, cheerleading groups for the two Central League teams have been asked to leave their trumpets and drums at home and enjoy the natural sounds of the game at the Tokyo Dome.
The Giants' players are calling on their fans and the Yokohama supporters to cheer like fans at North American major-league games -- with their applause and voices alone -- in this test case for "quiet baseball."