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| Shoey Ohtani is breaking barriers in sports |
No dought the biggest name in sports this Sunday is Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani signed a contract to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers for $700 million, the richest contract for a player in any sport in the United States.
Ohtani, who started playing for the L.A. Angels in 2018 after starring in Japan’s pro-baseball league, is the new face of America’s Pasttime, baseball, the most American of sports. His impact, though, goes beyond the baseball diamond.
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He has proven himself athletically. In the 2023 season alone, he put together his finest offensive season to this point, winning his second American League MVP honor after leading the Majors in slugging (.654) and OPS (1.066) while belting 44 home runs. Ohtani did all of that while also pitching to a 3.14 ERA with a 31.4 percent strikeout rate on the mound.
Becaue he was born in Japan, he began attracting negative press when he began his assault on baseball records held by American icons Roger Maris and Babe Ruth.
When sports commentator began questioning the “marketability” of a foreign, non-English speaking player he stirred up a hornet’s nest of racial controversy.
"It's about masculinity. ... Asian and Asian Americans are always seen as not masculine enough. Then you have a game that's seen as part of the embodiment of this white masculinity," Arnaldo said Constancio Arnaldo Jr., an assistant professor of Asian and Asian American studies at the University of Nevada.
"It's about masculinity. ... Asian and Asian Americans are always seen as not masculine enough. Then you have a game that's seen as part of the embodiment of this white masculinity," Arnaldo said Constancio Arnaldo Jr., an assistant professor of Asian and Asian American studies at the University of Nevada.
"Ohtani is also challenging what is acceptable in terms of athletic performance, baseball skill, especially, that are speaking back to these longer legacies of baseball as being this American white pastime," said the Filipino American professor.
Ohtani, though, is beating the Americans on their own terms. “He can hit a home run 500 feet and throw a ball 100 miles per hours, and he’s bigger and stronger than most Americans,” said Robert Whiting, who has written several books on baseball in Japan, including “You Gotta Have Wa.”
“He’s definitely a bright spot in our community,” said Kihei Otani, president of the Orange County Japanese American Assn. “Japanese Americans here are all excited to see him playing. I can’t imagine any Japanese American not rooting for him and not going to his games to support him.”
Long-time Angels fan Dennis Masuda attended 60 home games this year and watched Ohtani’s historic feats with pride. “I don’t get to see many Japanese players,” he said. “The last time the Angels had one was Hideki Matsui 11 years ago. Having one on my hometown team as a pitcher and a hitter was quite thrilling.”
Ohtani, though, is beating the Americans on their own terms. “He can hit a home run 500 feet and throw a ball 100 miles per hours, and he’s bigger and stronger than most Americans,” said Robert Whiting, who has written several books on baseball in Japan, including “You Gotta Have Wa.”
“He’s definitely a bright spot in our community,” said Kihei Otani, president of the Orange County Japanese American Assn. “Japanese Americans here are all excited to see him playing. I can’t imagine any Japanese American not rooting for him and not going to his games to support him.”
Long-time Angels fan Dennis Masuda attended 60 home games this year and watched Ohtani’s historic feats with pride. “I don’t get to see many Japanese players,” he said. “The last time the Angels had one was Hideki Matsui 11 years ago. Having one on my hometown team as a pitcher and a hitter was quite thrilling.”
Part of Ohtani's allure is that despite his lofty athletic accomplishments, very little is known about the Japan-born player.
Ohtani may not be aware of the significance of his position in Asian America. For a community that is perceived to be quiet and humble, whose accomplishments are sometimes glossed over and must overcome the "perpetual foreigner" steretotype, it will be difficult for baseball fans to overlook Ohtani's presence and accomplishments.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me at Threads.net/eduardodiok, @DioknoEd on Twitter or at the blog Views From the Edge.
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