◆ Seibu Lions Pacific League: Seibu vs. Rakuten Eagles (October 10th, Belluna Dome)

Rakuten Eagles 's catcher Hikaru Ota (29), who is central to both offense and defense, expressed his gratitude to his mother on May 10th, which is Mother's Day.

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Tracing back to the very foundation of his success, Ota finds it all in his mother's support. With a slightly embarrassed expression, Ota revealed what kind of person his mother was. "She's very expressive of her emotions—joy, happiness, sadness, anger, and happiness." She was kind, and when necessary, she would scold him when he did something wrong. His mother, who worked as an elementary school teacher, devotedly supported him while balancing work and childcare.

Both of her working parents took turns driving her to and from practice, and when she got home, her mother's home cooking was waiting for her. She fondly remembers the gentle, light flavors of the food, which was free of additives. "My mother's cooking was lightly seasoned. When I was a child, I wanted to eat something with a strong flavor, but now that I think about it, it was very healthy food. Now that I'm taking care of my own body, I've come to appreciate those meals even more." Those gentle flavors, which she felt were a little unsatisfying at the time, have become the foundation of her strong body today.

There are words that remain in my heart. When I went to high school, I lived away from my parents. When I was about to enter the tough world of competition, my mother gently told me, "Anything is fine as long as it's not death. If it gets that hard, you can always come home." Instead of cutting off my escape route, she quietly prepared an "escape route" for me. "I was grateful to know that she would create a last resort for me, that I had a place to return to even if things didn't work out." It was because of that great love that I was able to fight to the end without hesitation.

Now that Ota herself is married and has a family, she says, "From a child's perspective, parents seem very mature, but when you're actually the one communicating, you think really hard about how to say each word. The sense of responsibility is completely different. I wonder if my parents thought about it this way when they were interacting with me." She is spending her days feeling the weight of parenthood anew.

"My personality and way of thinking are similar to my mother's. So I understand a lot of what she feels, and I hope I can get advice from her, or conversely, do some for her." His smile was softer than usual. Mother's Day is on the 10th. He wants to convey his gratitude along with the word "win." He will put the kindness and strength he inherited from his mother into every action. (Kota Miyauchi)