They shouted.
They cried and made this noise that crowds make when thousands of people cry at the same time, this sound which is heard when the home team takes a late advance in a eliminatory match.
Shohei Ohtani had taken the ground – for training.
“That”, Jodgers third basic player Max MUNCY said: “It was a pretty cool moment for all of us to attend.”
Find out more: The trip to the Tokyo series from Dodgers confirms the team’s “overwhelming” outfit on Japan
Imagine if Ohtani had actually taken shot practices on Friday like most of the others Riders Strikers. Imagine the reaction of The 10,507 fans which wrapped the lower seats behind the marble and the two lines of fault at the Tokyo Dome.
Dodgers are World Series Champions. They have two high -level Japanese players as Ohtani in the starter of the opening Yoshinobu yamamoto And the Recruit Fireball Sasaki Roki. They have other signature players Freddie Freeman And Mookie Betts.
The crowd’s response to Ohtani, however, has restored a longtime truth on the Dodgers: from the point of view of Japan, there is Ohtani and then there are everyone.
Dodgers are the Rolling Stones and Ohtani is Mick Jagger.
“If it is not for Ohtani, I do not think that all Japan would be in a frenzy like this,” said Taka Hattori, a 51-year-old fan who wore a custom n ° 17 jersey with “Shotme” embroidered on the back.
The fans collapsed in a room near 30,000 square feet which was transformed into a Temporary souvenir store. Hundreds of people were presented the day before at Haneda airport for an overview of the Dodgers, which arrived for the Tokyo series, their two game sets of the season against the Chicago Cubs which begins on Tuesday.
More than 1,000 media skills titles have been issued for games, which are exhausted. The price requested on the secondary market for the cheapest tickets is in the $ 1,500 district.
Hattori paid 18,000 yen, or about $ 120, to reach the Dodgers fan clubWho entered a lottery for the Japanese series tickets.
He did not win.
Friday, Hattori was content with training, because he was able to buy tickets from a friend at their nominal value of 2,000 yen, or about $ 13.
“Personally, I really like Ichiro (Suzuki),” said Hattori. “I was able to watch Ichiro play here on the opening day. But it was not like that.
Hattori has described Ohtani as “another universe”.
“Of course, Ohtani is a representative of Japan,” said Hattori. “But it doesn’t matter whether it is Japanese, American or Korean. I think he has reached the level at which he is not a representative of a particular country but is rather a baseball representative. »»
Runa Misaki has traveled from her hometown of Osaka to watch training with her friend Yuko Hanashima.
They said they had been attracted to Ohtani as much by his personality and his performances.
“I think he really likes baseball,” said Hanashima. “I think he likes baseball more than anyone. I think that is why children love him so much.
Misaki said she would return to Tokyo on Sunday for an exhibition match against Hanshin Tigers. The tickets for this match, as well as for a Saturday match against the Giants of Yomiuri, are sold on the secondary market for more than $ 600.
“I would like them to open up here every season,” said Misaki.
The popularity of Ohtani here is such that other dodgers have also become famous by association.
Fans have gone to the mass at the manager Dave Robertswho was in return. They shouted the names of Teoscar Hernández And Miguel Rojas. They shouted with joy when Freeman recognized them with an affectionate wave of the glove.
They also watched the draft training with the same home with which they watched a match. Binoculars and mobile telephony cameras have been pointed out on the hitting box. Some fans have observed the action while tightening the sleeping babies. The conclusion of each cycle of stick practice was followed by applause.
Be careful, it was for training. The first official match was still four days.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
