Nippon-Ham outfielder Yuma Imagawa (28) spoke on the 14th about the origins of his signature "perseverance pose," in which he points his index finger up. He attended a talk show in Asahikawa with Yuki Kiyomiya. When asked by a fan what inspired him to adopt the pose, he explained, "I've been doing it since my college days," going back to his time at Tokai University in Hokkaido. It originates from the importance of dedication and a never-give-up attitude. When Yuki Kiyomiya, who was also in attendance, asked him, "Why did you start doing it?" he unexpectedly confessed, "Actually, I wasn't the one who started it. A senior a year older than me started doing it..." The approximately 350 fans in attendance erupted in laughter.

He made an impact this season, hitting Home Run off Softbank Hawks 's Moinelo, but due to a pulled muscle in the back of his right thigh, he was limited to playing in 18 games. "It was a tumultuous year, and I was able to hit home run in three years, and even thinking about it now, it's amazing," he said.

He can't let himself be outdone by his juniors. "We have a LINE group with Kiyomiya, Manchu (Mannami), and James (Nomura) that says we'll hit 100 home runs, and next year I'll hit 100," he boldly announced. This season, the four of them have hit 42 home runs. He vowed to double that number to win the league championship for the first time in 10 years.

(Haruki Kawakami)