U.S.A where the MLB and base ball were created-No.7

Masakazu Kimura

     Since I decided my topic for blog as “MLB”, I just introduced about MLB and some famous teams in MLB. However, I want to introduce my favorite Japanese player who challenged to MLB and succeed. The person who I want to introduce is Hideki Matsui (松井秀樹).

    

     He is very famous baseball player in Japan and all Japanese has to know who he is. Some foreign people who are curious to MLB or Japanese baseball league know about him. He is Japanese baseball player who used to play in Tokyo Giants (東京ジャイアンツ) and moved to New York Yankees which is the most famous team in MLB. Because he was Japanese power batter and hit a lot of HR, he was called “Gozila コジラ” from MLB fans.

     He was born in 1974 and started playing baseball when he was 6 years old. By having big and strong physique, he was put in over 3^rd grade team when he was 1^st grade. Matsui is saying “I obtain power and became strong batter by practicing hard and eating meat every day ”. Other than baseball, he played Sumou(相撲), Zyudo(柔道), and Piano as well. When he played baseball in Koushien(甲子園), he hit huge HR which the ball flew high and hit the back screen of Koushien stadium. The manager of Giants was watching his play and decided to offer to Tokyo Giants. When he just became professional baseball player, he could not remain good score, so he practiced as hard as he can, more than anyone else. Thus, his play became better and better and finally in 2000 when he was 26 years old, he received brilliant awards like “home run king”, “top RBI (Run Batted In) hitter”, “top OBP (On Base percentage) leader”, “Season MVP”, “Japan series MVP”, and “Golden Glove Award”. His score was 42 HR, 108 RBI. He was satisfied with his score in Japan, so he decided to challenge to MLB in 2003, when he was 29 years old. He was lucky that he could transfer to NYY and he became the first Japanese man entered to NYY. His score was not excellent at first, but by overcoming his weak point with his team mate, he became much stronger batter. He remained his achievement in NYY and in 2009, he hit 3 HR and marked 8 points in World Series, so he became the MVP of World Series.

    

     However, his condition went worse and he moved to Los Angeles Angels (ALL) in 2010. He was 36 years old at that time. He remained good score, but because he could satisfied with his score, he decided to move to another team Oakland Athletics.

     

     In 2012 December 28, he opened a press interview in hotel located in NYC and declared to finish his baseball life. He was 38 years old. Matsui said “I played as hard as I can and tried my best for 10 years. My goal was always to show my real power to everyone including my fans. However, I cannot remain good score anymore and I don’t feel I can achieve my goal anymore. I want to go back to Japan and continue playing baseball, but I want to finish my baseball life in U.S.A. Thank you for supporting me until now, especially my fans and family and my former teacher 長嶋茂雄”. He was crying when he declared retirement and all his fans cried also when they heard this new. I also felt sadness. Matsui, because you put hard efforts to baseball, we got energy from you. Thank you very much and nice job! お疲れ様.