The Sacred Dirt

In Japan, one high school baseball championship is considered even more exciting than professional games. Top teams from 49 districts compete to become #1. Yet supporters often become aggressive, creating undue stress for the young players, many of whom will retire from baseball if their team loses. We aimed to promote a positive, supportive atmosphere with posters created from the stadium’s “sacred dirt”—the same dirt the players carry home as a memento. The posters, placed in the stadium’s local station, reminded spectators of the championship’s 105-year history and the athletes’ hard work.