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3 days ago
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Hernández: How Japan media track down Ohtani's home-run balls
Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani, left, watches the flight of his a solo home run in the first inning as Yankees pitcher Max Fried, center, reacts. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) Shohei Ohtani was about halfway through his home-run trot when Taro Abe stood up from his second-row seat in the Vin Scully Press Box and tucked his green scorebook under his right arm. 'Let's go,' Abe said in Japanese. Advertisement Abe, a writer for Japan's Chunichi Sports newspaper, was followed into the concourse of Dodger Stadium's suite level by four other reporters from his country. They were on a mission: Find the person who caught Ohtani's home-run ball. There was nothing special about this blast, which was Ohtani's second on Friday in an eventual 8-5 victory over the New York Yankees. The homer was Ohtani's 22nd of the season and reduced the Dodgers' deficit at the time from three to two. 'We have to do this every time,' Abe said. This practice started a couple of years ago, when Ohtani was still playing for the Angels. The appetite for Ohtani content was insatiable in Japan, but the two-way player started speaking to reporters only after games in which he pitched. Naoyuki Yanagihara of Sports Nippon and Masaya Kotani of Full Count figured out a solution for their problem: They started interviewing the fans who caught his home-run balls. Advertisement Read more: Hernández: 'I have no words for it.' Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani inspires awe and confidence The feature was received well by their readers and gradually spread to other publications. Now, besides the homers that land in bullpens or any other place inaccessible to fans, a group of Japanese reporters will be there to interview the person who snagged the prized souvenir. Neither Yanagihara nor Kotani was on this particular journey into the right-field pavilion, as Yanagihara was temporarily back in Japan and Kotani remained in the press box. Both of their publications were represented by other reporters. I was there too. One of the reporters, Michi Murayama of Sports Hochi, looked at me curiously. Advertisement 'You're coming?' she asked. Abe joked: 'He's coming to write how ridiculous the Japanese media is.' As we walked down a carpeted hallway by the suites down the first-base line, Abe turned around and asked if anyone had seen who caught the ball. No one had. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit a pair of home runs off Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press) Before departing from the press box, reporters usually study replays of the homer to find identifying features of the ballhawk. But in this case, the scramble for the ball was obscured by a short barrier that divided a television cameraman from the crowd. Abe led the pack out of an exit near the Stadium Club. When we re-entered the ballpark at the loge level, we heard a familiar chant: 'Fre-ddie! Fre-ddie!' Advertisement The reporters stopped to watch the game from behind the last row of seats. Freeman doubled in a run to reduce the Dodgers' deficit to one, and pandemonium ensued. A young woman clutching a beer danced. Strangers exchanged high-fives. Others performed the Freddie Dance. Yankees manager Aaron Boone removed Max Fried from the game, and called Jonathan Loáisiga from the bullpen. It was time for us to move on. Seniority heavily influences professional and personal interactions in Japanese culture, which was why when we reached the top of the right-field pavilion, the two-most-junior reporters were told to find the ball-catching fan and return with him. Iori Kobayashi of Sports Nippon, 25, and Akihiro Ueno of Full Count, 27, accepted their fates without question. However, the veteran Murayama noticed they weren't making any progress, and soon she was in the middle of the pavilion with them. She came back soon after to tell us we were in the wrong place. Advertisement 'We have to go down to the Home Run Seats,' she said, referring to seats directly behind the right-field wall that are in a separate section as the rest of the pavilion. The ushers there were helpful, describing how the ball struck the portable plastic wall behind the cameraman, rolled under the barrier, and was taken by a boy in a gray jersey. Murayama found the boy and said he would speak to the group when the inning was over. 'They usually come after the inning because they want to watch the game too,' Abe said. Read more: Shohei Ohtani homers twice and Dodgers pull off another comeback against Yankees Advertisement While we waited, Eriko Takehama of Sankei Sports approached Abe and showed him a picture of a fan holding up a piece of the plastic wall that was struck by Ohtani's homer. The piece had broken off, and the fan told Takehama that he was taking it home. 'Do you want to talk to him?' Takehama asked Abe. 'He said he caught a ball three years ago.' Abe declined. While watching Max Muncy taking first base on an intentional walk, Abe said, 'Everyone has a story. You ask them where they live, where they work and there's usually something interesting. We're writing human-interest stories with Ohtani as a cover.' Advertisement This story would be about a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Monrovia named Fisher Luginvuhl. With his mother standing nearby, the Little League catcher gushed, 'It's like the best thing that's ever happened to me.' The reporters circled the boy and photographed him holding up the ball. They exchanged numbers with Luginvuhl's father so they could send him links to the stories they produced. While the reporters worked together to locate Luginvuhl, they were also in competition with each other to post the story first. Murayama wrote hers on her phone as she walked. Ueno sent audio of the six-minute interview to the Full Count offices in Japan, where the recording was transcribed by an English-speaking reporter, who then used the quotes to write a story. Walking to the right-field pavilion and back was exhausting. I mentioned this to Abe, and he reminded me, 'This was my second time doing this today.' Advertisement Abe wrote 13 stories on Friday night, 10 of them about Ohtani, including two on fans who caught his homers. Just as we returned to the press box, the next hitter was announced over the public-address system: 'Shohei Ohtani!' Abe laughed and braced for another long walk. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stuttgart in talks to sign Joel Chima Fujita
Sports Nippon reports that VfB Stuttgart are interested in acquiring twice-capped Japanese international Joel Chima Fujita. The 23-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays St. Truiden in Belgium and maintains an estimated market value of €2.2m. Fujita made 36 competitive appearances for his Belgian club this year. The Japanese publication claims that talks over a permanent transfer have already begun. Fujita's style-of-play apparently reminds VfB management of former VfB squad captain Wataru Endo. Fujita – who is also eligible to represent Nigeria – would certainly wish to enhance his chances of representing Japan at next summer's World Cup. Advertisement Stuttgart themselves can cite the success of the likes of Endo and current Bayern Munich man Hiroki Ito as cases in which Samurai internationals were able to further their career with the club. Reports linking German midfielder Angelo Stiller with a move away from Württemberg may leave Stuttgart in need of more midfield assistance this summer. GGFN | Peter Weis
Japan Forward
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Hoshoryu Returns to Sumo Spotlight at the Summer Basho
Beginning his second tournament as a yokozuna, sumo wrestler Hoshoryu aims to remain healthy throughout the 15-day event at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Yokozuna Hoshoryu (right) grapples with ozeki Kotozakura on May 2, 2025, during a practice session in front of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. (©SANKEI) Hoshoryu begins his quest to win his first Emperor's Cup as a yokozuna against komusubi Wakatakakage on the opening day of the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, May 11. Promoted to sumo's highest rank in January 2025, Hoshoryu pulled out of the Spring Basho in Osaka on Day 10. He had compiled a 5-4 record over the previous nine days. Hoshoryu withdrew from the March tournament due to elbow pain and a neck injury. In addition to his physical preparations for the 15-day Summer Basho at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan, the Mongolian-born wrestler visited Nominosukune Shrine in the Japanese capital's Sumida Ward. The Shinto shrine was established in honor of Nomi no Sukune, sumo's founder. After making his first visit to the shrine on Friday, May 9, Hoshoryu revealed he prayed for his physical well-being. "I prayed that I would not be injured in this tournament," Hoshoryu was quoted as saying by Sports Nippon . "I'm sure I'll be fine." Hoshoryu, who won his second title at the 2025 New Year meet, is the lone yokozuna for the Summer Basho. With his aforementioned earlier promotion to sumo's highest rank, the number of ozeki was reduced from three to two. And for the second consecutive tournament, there will be a pair of grapplers at the sport's second-highest rank, Onosato and Kotozakura. Ozeki Onosato receives the Emperor's Cup from Japan Sumo Association chairman Hakkaku after winning the Spring Basho on March 23 at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. (©SANKEI) Onosato captured his third Emperor's Cup at the Spring Basho, beating Takayasu in a playoff. Both men had 12-3 records in the tourney, necessitating a playoff. After winning in dramatic fashion at the most recent tourney, Onosato appears on fast track to become the next yokozuna. But first things first. Onosato, who turns 25 on June 7, has a plan for May's sumo competition. "I want to do my best without thinking too much," he said, according to Jiji Press. Ozeki Onosato (right) faces Hoshoryu in a training session on May 2. (KYODO) Onosato will square off against maegashira No 1 Wakamotoharu on that first Sunday. Kotozakura, who was promoted from No 4 maegashira to komusubi after the Spring Basho, will clash with Oho, the other top maegashira. Oho had a disappointing 6-9 record at the March tourney. And then he was demoted from sekiwake, the sport's third-highest rank, to the lowest rung of the top division. Kotozakura, winner of the November 2024 tournament, said he's focusing on one opponent at a time. "There is no time to neglect the early rounds," said Kotozakura, who will face Abi on Day 2, according to Sports Hochi . "I just have to concentrate on the first match in front of me and do what I have to do." Ozeki Kotozakura (right) participates in a sumo training session on May 1 in Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture. (KYODO) Sekiwake Daieisho begins the sumo meet with a Sunday showdown against second-ranked maegashira Abi. Meanwhile, sekiwake Kirishima will encounter maegashira No 2 Gonoyama on the opening day. Also, it should be interesting to follow Takayasu coming off his runner-up finish in March. Has he turned the page and put the disappointment of defeat behind him? Takayasu's first test of May is against No 3 maegashira Tamawashi. women's MVP Kotona Hayashi (© Outside hitter Kotona Hayashi of the women's champion Osaka Marvelous and opposite hitter Nimir Abdel-Aziz of men's club Wolfdogs Nagoya were named Most Valuable Players for the 2024-25 season. The held an awards ceremony on Friday, May 9, in Tokyo. Hayashi also took home the women's Receiver of the Year award. After it was announced that Hayashi was chosen MVP, she admitted that she "didn't expect to be chosen, so I'm truly grateful to have received this award." Hayashi then said, "While I'm of course happy to be named MVP, what brings me the most joy is winning the championship with Osaka Marvelous — with [my] teammates." men's MVP Nimir Abdel-Aziz of Wolfdogs Nagoya (right) poses with league chairman Masaaki Ogawa at an awards ceremony on May 9 in Tokyo. (© Abdel-Aziz's name was called frequently during the banquet, as the Dutch-born player was named the winner of several additional awards: Top Scorer, Top Spiker, Top Server, Most Impressive Player and Best Opposite Hitter. "Although it (the MVP accolade) is an individual award, I want to thank my teammates again and all the club members of Wolfdogs Nagoya," Abdel-Aziz said. "[It's] really a pleasure to play in Japan and I had an amazing time. Thank you so much. "My impression [of the is very good," he continued. "The league has clearly made great efforts to become one of the best in the world — and it shows." Yomiuri Giants first baseman Kazuma Okamoto injures his left elbow on this play in the first inning on May 6 against the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo Dome. The Tigers' Takumu Nakano is out on the bang-bang play. (©SANKEI) Yomiuri Giants infielder Kazuma Okamoto, one of NPB's top offensive players, was hurt during a collision with Takumu Nakano of the Hanshin Tigers on Tuesday, May 6. In the first inning of a game between the Central League rivals at Tokyo Dome, Okamoto, who was playing first base, sustained an elbow injury while making a catch. On the play, Giants third baseman Shunsuke Urata fielded a sacrifice bunt and fired the ball to Okamoto. The throw was off the mark, forcing Okamoto into an outstretched position, and the impact of the collision caused a left elbow ligament injury. Okamoto will likely be sidelined for up to three months, according to published reports. "I'll do my best to get back as soon as possible," Okamoto was quoted as saying by Jiji Press. The 28-year-old right-handed slugger has played in 32 games in the 2025 NPB season, appearing in 24 as a first baseman and 15 as a third baseman. Okamoto is batting .308 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs. JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | NPB Hitting Standouts: Top Batters in 2025 IOC President Thomas Bach speaks at the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on May 9. (KYODO) Thomas Bach, who's wrapping up his 12-year tenure as president of the International Olympic Committee, visited the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Friday, May 9. Attending a ceremony there, the German was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in recognition of his efforts to stage the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 during the global pandemic. The award also honored Bach's active role in promoting sports and their development for decades. On the same day, Bach visited the Japanese Olympic Committee office, where he thanked the host nation for its cooperation and support in staging the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games. "The Olympics were held under unprecedented circumstances that no one could have predicted," Bach said, according to Sports Hochi . "It was the COVID-19 pandemic, and we were able to accomplish something that no one had ever done before, something that no one would have been able to do. We were very fortunate to have Japan as our partner and host in the midst of such a crisis. Without Japan's support, the Tokyo 2020 Games would not have been possible." Newly elected IOC chief Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe, will officially take over for Bach on June 24. Coventry is the first woman elected to serve as IOC president. Bach said he believes Coventry is well-suited to be a successful leader for the global organization. "I know that she has this very clear compass of the Olympic values," Bach said, according to Kyodo News. "She has been elected because she has the professional and the human qualities to be a very good president of the IOC and lead the Olympic movement into an even better future." Naoya Inoue (AP/via KYODO) Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 knockouts) remained No 2 in The Ring magazine's pound-for–pound rankings, which were released on Wednesday, May 7. Inoue picked up his latest victory with an eight-round technical knockout of American challenger Ramon Cardenas on Sunday, May 4 in Las Vegas. Ukrainian Oleksander Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs), holder of the WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight championship straps, tops the Bible of Boxing's chart. American WBA super welterweight title holder Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is No 3. Also for Japan, WBC bantamweight champ Junto Nakatani (30-0, 23 KOs) is seventh on the prestigious pound-for-pound list. And WBA and WBC flyweight champ Kenshiro Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs) is ninth. Naoya Inoue Extends Title Reign with an 8th-Round TKO of Ramon Cardenas ―Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, commenting after his latest start, according to The Baltimore Banner . Sugano tossed 7⅓ innings of one-run ball against the Los Angeles Angels on May 9. He allowed three hits while striking out five batters in a 4-1 win over the Angels. The O's snapped a five-game losing streak. Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
