League One stars witnessed the homecoming of Japan’s national hero Shohei Ohtani as his Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Wednesday to sweep the two-game series at Tokyo Dome.
Japan’s fandom for their national hero reached fever pitch on Wednesday in game two as the omnipresent Ohtani, 30, who started his pro career in 2013 with Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, stepped up in the fifth inning to hit a solo home run, his first of the season.
The three-time MVP was unequivocally the centerpiece of Major League Baseball’s first foray into Japan since the 2019 season opened at the famed home of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team.
A tumultuous crowd of 42,367 fans soaked up the occasion including a host of stars from Japan Rugby League One.
South Africa’s two-time World Cup winners Cheslin Kolbe and Jesse Kriel, who play for Suntory Sungoliath and Yokohama Canon Eagles respectively, savoured the chance to see Ohtani’s defending 2024 World Series champions against the Cubs as Japan came to a standstill to observe the all-American encounter.
Kolbe, who scored in Suntory’s loss to Mitsubishi Dynaboars on Sunday, told RugbyJP.com: “It was an awesome experience getting to watch my first baseball match ever and to do so between two great teams was an experience on its own.
“It’s been one of my bucket list to do and it was an incredible atmosphere in the stadium. Definitely, I would go to watch more regular games from now onwards too as it is the number one sport in Japan too.”
Kriel, who featured for Yokohama in their clash against the Black Rams at the nearby Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Saturday, echoed the sentiments of his compatriot.
“Attending the MLB opener between the Dodgers and Cubs in Tokyo was an amazing experience, one of my best memories in Japan so far,” Kriel told RugbyJP.
“The atmosphere was unreal and it was incredible to witness the sheer magnitude of baseball in Japan and what it means to the country. A huge thank you to Natsuko Takahashi from Halo Sports for organising everything - she made it all seamless. I had a great time watching with my South African teammates and players from other rugby teams in Japan. Definitely a night to remember!”
The Dodgers also used the backdrop of the electrifying Tokyo spectacle to announce a multi-year partnership agreement with Niigata-based Hakkaisan Brewery which will see the company’s sake products available at select Dodger Stadium concession locations and feature during in-stadium promotions and activations, as well as off-stadium events.
The Dodgers’ new and exclusive partnership with the renowned Japanese sake brewing company will also will also see Hakkaisan provide co-branded bottles for sale in selected stores in Southern California.
Lon Rosen, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Los Angeles Dodgers, said: “We are happy to be adding Hakkaisan sake to the Dodger family of partners.”
The grandiose MLB stage delivers on and off the field and now one set of fans, who themselves are world champions, aim for their own headlines in the concrete jungle of Tokyo and the port city of Chiba this weekend.
Kolbe and Kriel, who cherished their mid-week experience as fans, return to action as Japan’s top-flight enters round 12 and the nail-biting race for a top-six play-off spot is proving to have its own charms.
Kriel’s play-off hopefuls Yokohama travel to Chiba to play Kubota Spears on Saturday while Kolbe’s fellow contenders, Suntory, host Kobe Steelers at Chichibunomiya this Sunday.
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