◆ Sports Hochi Journalist Column "From Ryogoku"
While many rookies entered the world of professional baseball this year, an equal number of players also retired. Most of them had their contracts terminated, but the happy retirement game of Rakuten Eagles 's Okajima is particularly memorable.
It is a well-known story that in the summer of 2001, when Japan won the championship, he made a direct appeal to then manager Hoshino outfield to use him in the second half of the season at a sake bar. starting line-up A few days later, he was assigned to "No. 1, right wing" for the first time, and in his first at-bat, he hit a shot in the middle that made both knees tremble, opening up his career as a outfielder.
His down-to-earth playing style was based on "feelings" and "guts." In July 2017, he crashed into wall while chasing a foul fly ball and dislocated his left shoulder. The effects continued into 2018, with a season batting average of just .190. Even though it was at a meal, it was the first and last time he heard the words "It hurts..." while playing in the first team. In February 2019, he underwent major surgery that took six months to heal.
I have heard of foul flies that caused injuries. wall I felt like I was going to catch the ball at the time, whatever it was. If the same batted ball came, he said, "I'll go catch it in the same way." "It's originally catcher, so I know how hard it is to get that one out, one strike. It's not okay to get hurt, but if there's a chance to catch it, I'll go catch it." He was such a player.
He was unable to attend his retirement game in person, so he watched the broadcast instead. Even though he couldn't see the ball due to his tears, in his final at-bat as a pinch hit he hit a home run center fielder for his 813th hit as a professional. We would like to give him a heartfelt round of applause for the 14 years he fought to the end despite not being a big professional. (baseball correspondent, Yamaguchi Yasushi)
Hirofumi Yamaguchi joined the company in 2001. He has worked in the Hokkaido, Tohoku and Hokkaido branches for the third time, focusing on professional baseball.
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