Fans in Shohei Ohtani's Japanese hometown pack in to watch Game 3 of the World Series

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

October 29,asian games 2023 football 2024 at 11:50 JST

• Share
• Tweet list

• Print

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani walks to the plate to bat against the New York Yankees during the first inning in Game 3 of the baseball World Series, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

OSHU CITY, Japan--Hundreds of fans filed into a public viewing center in Shohei Ohtani's hometown in northern Japan on Tuesday morning — the country is 13 hours ahead of Yankee Stadium — to cheer the country's top celebrity in Game 3 of the World Series.

Fans lined up outside the Oshu City Cultural Center, a 500-seat auditorium, on a perfect fall morning to watch their local hero in a live telecast. They were there an hour before the game started.

Many came dressed in Dodger Blue — caps or jerseys — and were supplied with various noisemakers, including thunder sticks. The hall was adorned with posters announcing Ohtani as “The Pride of Oshu City.”

Ohtani, playing two days after dislocating his left shoulder in Game 2, drew a walk on his first at-bat. That drew wild cheers from the 250 fans attending, who chanted "Go, Go. Shohei." Then came even more cheers when the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead on Freddie Freeman's home run.

“He's more like a Japanese treasure than just a local (treasure),” said fan Hiromitsu Kikuchi. “I think he has passed beyond the hometown and is more like world-class. We have never had a star player like this before from our hometown."

Among the mostly older fans were about 20 children from the kindergarten that Ohtani attended. They came equipped with small flags emblazoned with Ohtani's smiling face.

Several fans said they were worried Ohtani might not play but set out from home when they got the good news.

“I came to see Ohtani because the television news reported that he would play,” said fan Tadashi Onodera. “It's fantastic. We are proud to have such a player from out hometown.”

This is the town where Ohtani played Little League, starred as a pitcher and hitter at Hanamaki Higashi High School, and became the favorite son of Iwate Prefecture, a mountainous region abutting the Pacific Ocean.

His hometown is located about 300 miles (500 kilometers) north of Tokyo, a largely rural place far from the capital, its hundreds of skyscrapers and high-end prosperity.

All eyes at the viewing were on the Dodgers superstar — and his left shoulder. His injury briefly cast a pall and flipped Japan's mood from magic to morose.

Then came relief. The magic returned as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts started Ohtani as the designated hitter and leadoff hitter in Game 3, what local fans and all of baseball wanted to see.

“I was concerned (about the injury), but believed it would be okay,” said Masatoshi Honmyo, another local fan. “I would say he is a hero.”

• ·研究者の平民と結婚させられた追放令嬢ヴィルヘルミーナ、夫婦で世界に革命を起こす　
• ·【甲子園】Ｖ候補の一角・智弁和歌山初戦敗退でトレンド１位に「報徳も負け　智弁和歌山も負け　波乱続くのー」
• ·ヤクルト・ヤフーレ―中日・高橋宏斗…スタメン発表
• ·浜田雅功、パリ五輪の現地映像映り込みの瞬間振り返り「でも、俺、メインちゃうやんか！」
• ·ジャイアント馬場さん「命日」に「没２５年追善」＆「太陽ケア引退」＆「木原アナ３５周年記念」興行…来年１・３１後楽園
• ·【動画】郡拓也が１軍に合流
• ·倉田真由美さん「男性の体臭苦手」投稿でのフリーアナ契約解除に私見「言いたいことが言えない時代になる」
• ·「小さい頃から夢見てた」北口榛花、閉会式を経て心境を明かす「勇気と感動をありがとう」「真の世界一」の声
• ·研究者の平民と結婚させられた追放令嬢ヴィルヘルミーナ、夫婦で世界に革命を起こす　
• ·川合俊一さん、パリ五輪柔道団体でのスロット抽選に私見「絶対、デジタルって仕込めるんですよ」
• ·アニメ「菜なれ花なれ」に市ノ瀬加那、努力家で勉強も教えられる愛江田毬役（コメントあり）
• ·槙野智章さん、パリ五輪での一推し日本代表の実名明かす「ピンチの時の笑顔からウインク、中々できない」
• ·生まれ変わったら清く正しく生きる、そう誓った悪役令嬢が現代日本の中年男性に転生
• ·ＮＭＢ４８から大阪マラソン３人出場！　塩月希依音は初挑戦で「目標５時間」　福士加代子氏「ちょっと考えないと…」
• ·【甲子園】初出場の聖和学園　エース・千葉桜太　涙の初戦敗退も「楽しかった」
• ·西武・渡辺勇太朗―ソフトバンク・モイネロ…スタメン発表