Today Sports Illustrated announced the retirement of Masumi Kuwata, one of the top pitchers in Japanese baseball history and a major leaguer for the first time last season at age 39.  As a baseball fan living in Japan the story caught my eye but as I read through the article what touched me the most was the ceremony that takes place when a pitcher retires.

According to the article when a pitcher decides to retire it is a Japanese tradition for the pitcher to respectfully approach the pitchers mound and, being careful not to touch the pitching rubber, place a ball atop it.

I was touched by the solitary nature of the ceremony and the symbolism surrounding the image of a solitary ball sitting on the pitching rubber on a baseball field devoid of players in a stadium devoid of fans.