Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani pays emotional tribute to baseball legend after his death

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Shohei Ohtani has paid an emotional tribute to Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima on social media after his passing on Tuesday at age 89.
Ohtani had met the baseball legend on a few occasions, most recently during MLB's Japan series earlier this year.
Nagashima died of pneumonia, with Ohtani leading the tributes to one of the greatest to ever play in the professional leagues in Japan.
'We sincerely pray for the repose of your soul,' Ohtani said on Instagram, with a trio of photos of the duo together.
Two of the photos are from earlier this year with a third being from earlier in Ohtani's professional career.
When playing professionally in Japan, Ohtani suited up for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters who share a stadium with the Yomiuri Giants, who Nagashima had a long playing career for and two stints as a manager.
Nagashima was a third baseman for the Giants from 1958 through 1974, the only professional team he was ever affiliated with.
Upon his retirement, he was named the Giants' manager, changing the style of the team that more fit his persona.
After his shocking firing as manger in 1980, he was brought back to the Giants in 1992, where he stayed until 2001.
The biggest star for the Giants during Nagashima's second tenure as coach was former New York Yankees' outfielder Hideki Matsui.
Nagashima's 444 home runs rank No 15 all time in Japanese baseball.
Ohtani will play in his first game since Nagashima's passing on Tuesday night against the New York Mets.