 |
| Shohei Ohtani pitches and homers for the L.A. Dodgers win against the Milwaukee Brewers. |
The Japanese-born Ohtani's Game 4 performance Oct. 15 was described by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a Japanese American, as "the greatest postseason performance of all time,"
Shohei Ohtani led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the 2024 National League pennant with a historic two-way performance in the clinching Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.
In the National League pennant-clinching 5-1 victory, Ohtani performed masterfully both at the plate and on the mound, a performance that had even Giants' fans in awe.
Not only did he throw six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 10 batters to earn the win; he also hit three home runs, becoming the first player in major league history to hit three homers and pitch in the same postseason game.
So has Shohei Ohtani reached Bruce Lee status? It's not a crazy idea, but it's a hell of a conversation starter. You have one guy, a martial arts legend, and another, a baseball phenom, both redefining what it means to be a powerful Asian man in America.
The thing is, it's not a one-to-one comparison. It’s about two different moments in time. Bruce Lee had to fight his way in, literally. He had to be explosive, loud, and confident on a very different stage—the movies. He was breaking down doors that were firmly locked. His masculinity was a raw, defiant force, and it was exactly what was needed back then.
Ohtani, on the other hand, comes from a different angle. He's not in-your-face, but his quiet domination is just as powerful. Standing 6’4”, he’s an athletic force of nature, a giant in America's pastime. He doesn’t need to swagger. His talent does all the talking. And for a whole new generation, that quiet excellence is the new loud. It's a different kind of strength, earned in the mainstream without the same kind of defiant attitude Lee had to embody.
Another difference is Lee excelled in the exotic martial arts originating in Asia. He did it so well that he created a new stereotype that if you are Asian you must know martial arts.
Lee challenged the long-held Hollywood stereotype of Asian men as weak, submissive servants or villains by showcasing his incredible martial arts skills and physical prowess.
Lee challenged the long-held Hollywood stereotype of Asian men as weak, submissive servants or villains by showcasing his incredible martial arts skills and physical prowess.
In contrast, Ohtani is dominating in baseball, America's Pasttime. It's not like he is the first ballplayer of Asian origin to play the sport in the major league but the 6'4" Ohtani's three homers was a historic display of power. One of the home runs he blasted Friday went sailing over the outfield bleachers and out of the park.
On top of that, in the six innings that he pitched, he struck out 10. He faced only 22 batters and held the Brewers scoreless. Dominant. Astounding.
It shows how far we’ve come. From a time when we had to rely on a martial artist to smash stereotypes, to now, where a humble, two-way baseball star can do the same just by being the best at what he does. The foundation Lee laid for Asian masculinity is still there, but Ohtani is building a different kind of structure on top of it. One that is less about being an exception and more about being the standard.
Asians and Asian Americans say that Ohtani may be giving them a new narrative.
Evan-Thomas May and Zeph Wong wrote about their lifelong obsession with baseball–starting with Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners – and how Ohtani has solidified it:
“So when I watch the MLB roll an Ohtani commercial, or hear the taiko drums boom as I load my game, Shotime’s prominence feels like so much more than just marketing. Seeing him is a representation of my own identity, my own community, and all those who have afforded me the life I have today.”
Evan-Thomas May and Zeph Wong wrote about their lifelong obsession with baseball–starting with Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners – and how Ohtani has solidified it:
“So when I watch the MLB roll an Ohtani commercial, or hear the taiko drums boom as I load my game, Shotime’s prominence feels like so much more than just marketing. Seeing him is a representation of my own identity, my own community, and all those who have afforded me the life I have today.”
Bruce Lee's status as a stereotype-buster is undeniable. I'm one of those kids who saw Lee as a hero and a beneficiary of his tough-guy image in Hollywood of taking no guff from anybody with the philosophic lessons of a genuine sifu.
Ohtani is breaking ground in the statistic-loving world of major league baseball where every at-bat, every pitch, every stolen base is documented and can't be debated. On top of his 50 home runs, 50 steals season last year, his latest performance cements his other-worldly status in sports
Except when the Dodgers play the Giants, I'll admit that every time Ohtani hits a homer, steals a base, or pitches a strike-out, I'm secretly cheering for him.
Ohtani may not be aware of what he's doing for Asian Americans -- at least he has not made any public statements on that subject. For every Asian kid who is overlooked in sports or picked last for a team because we're not supposed to excel in physical endeavors: We're told we're too small, not fast enough, not strong enough, not driven enough; stick to academe, become a lawyer or doctor, we're told. In this era, we are witnessing the resurgence of white supremacy and the rise in anti-Asian attacks and rhetoric, Ohtani is breaking that stereotype.
And he's not done yet. The 31-year old Ohtani told TIME magazine that his best is “yet to come.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.
No comments:
Post a Comment