11th 'Baseball Free Research Contest' Announced!

The Baseball Hall of Fame Museum is pleased to announce the 11th 'Baseball Free Research Contest,' inviting elementary school students to submit research projects centered on baseball. Since its launch in 2016, the contest has welcomed over 1,400 participants cumulatively, including the 10th edition held last year. We look forward to many submissions for this 11th edition.

Organizer: The Nippon Professional Baseball Hall of Fame Foundation

Co-organizer: Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

Support: NPB Enterprises, Inc.

Submission Period: Saturday, August 1, 2026 – Sunday, November 15, 2026

Website: https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/

〇 About Submissions: Projects must involve research on baseball topics. Works previously submitted to school are acceptable. ※ Must be original works by elementary school students. ※ Art-only or craft-only submissions will not be accepted. ※ Fragile items, hazardous materials, or items difficult to transport or store cannot be accepted. ※ Works must have been created during the student’s current grade level.

〇 How to Apply: Complete the application form with required details and send it along with your work to the museum. ※ Submissions will not be returned. Please make a copy for your records before sending. (You may submit a copy.)

Submission Address: Baseball Free Research Contest The Nippon Professional Baseball Hall of Fame Foundation 1-3-61 Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0004 [TEL] 03-3811-3600 (Follow automated instructions and select 'Library') [Phone Hours] 10:00–17:00

〇 Submission Period: August 1, 2026 (Sat) – November 15, 2026 (Sun) ※ Postmark or courier receipt date on the day is valid.

〇 Awards: Winning entries will be announced on the museum’s website around March 2027. Selected works, primarily award-winning ones, will be exhibited in a special exhibition at the museum. ※ Awarded works will become part of the museum’s permanent collection.

〇 Judges (Names listed without honorifics, in no particular order):

Masatake Yamanaka (Inducted 2016, President, All-Japan Baseball Association) Hideki Kuriyama (Inducted 2026, Chief Baseball Officer, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters) Minoru Hirata (Baseball Promotion Division Director, Nippon Professional Baseball) Masahiko Goto (Professor, Kokushikan University) Masanobu Shoji (Director, The Nippon Professional Baseball Hall of Fame Foundation)

〇 Participation Prize: All participants will receive a participation prize. (Expected to be shipped around February 2027)

For detailed application instructions, please visit the official website:

https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/

【Past Winning Entries】

・10th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works

https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2025.html

・9th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2024.html

・8th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2023.html

・7th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2022.html

・6th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2021.html

・5th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2020.html

・4th Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works

https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2019.html

・3rd Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2018.html

・2nd Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2017.html

・1st Baseball Free Research Contest – Awarded Works https://baseball-museum.or.jp/jiyu-kenkyu/contest/award_2016.html

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