Copies of a special edition of a Japanese newspaper were handed out in Tokyo, after Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.
The newspapers were distributed in front of Yurakucho railway station in central Tokyo on Friday.
Holding a copy in her hands, a woman in her 50s said she believes that Ohtani is the pride of Japan. The woman also said that she will continue to cheer for him. She added that she hopes Ohtani will extend the streak.
A man in his 20s said he did not expect Ohtani to achieve the feat around this time. But the man said he believed the star would pull off the accomplishment at some point during the season. He also said that he hopes Ohtani will be chosen as the season’s MVP as well.
The man noted that the baseball star has broken many different records, and he said he hopes that Ohtani will someday win the Triple Crown.
Another woman in her 70s said she was excited to see Ohtani achieve the feat. She noted that she had been watching the games to see if he would do it. The woman said she immediately knew the ball he hit was a homer. She added that she is wondering who caught the home run ball. She said she cannot wait to see how much more Ohtani will achieve during this season.