I would like to start with the words that Ty Cobb seems to have said. Unfortunately, I have forgotten when and where I read them, so I cannot quote them exactly. I am very embarrassed, but please forgive me. I think the words were something like this. "Babe Ruth strikes out too many times. Ted Williams walks too many times." I think this is a wise saying that expresses the essence of baseball. In other words, the real pleasure and fun of baseball comes from the batter hitting the ball, so it is important for the batter to concentrate on hitting the ball with his bat and getting a hit, rather than striking out or walking....I love Ty Cobb’s words, but I'm sure there are many people who cannot agree with Ty Cobb's words and my thoughts. Ty Cobb (I found this among the many exhibits at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.) By the way, what would have happened if Babe Ruth and Ted Williams had corrected the points that Ty Cobb pointed out?  I know it's taboo to bring up the word "if" because results are everything, but please allow me to bring up the word "if" just for fun this time. If Babe Ruth had struck out less, I think he would have had more hits, and he might have won the Triple Crown. A poster created in Japan when Babe Ruth visited the country, and articles reporting on the excitement that ensued throughout the country. (I found this among the many exhibits at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.) If Ted Williams had walked less, I think he would have had more hits, and he might have won the Triple Crown more than twice.  I also think Ted Williams might have been able to achieve "some amazing record related to hits".  I will be sure to explain this in more detail in a column I plan to post on this website soon. Ted Williams (I found this among the many exhibits at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Now, of the problems of strikeouts and walks pointed out by Ty Cobb, this time I would like to focus on strikeouts. Let’s start with one active player. In 2017, there was a major leaguer who excited fans. He is a 25-year-old young man in his second year in the major leagues. He is Aaron Judge, an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Judge was hitting a lot of home runs since the start of the season. Moreover, the home runs flew at a great speed and had a great distance. He also had a high batting average and many RBIs. So, around the end of May, many people were expecting that Judge might become a Triple Crown winner.  However, I thought that there was no possibility for Judge to become a Triple Crown winner. After that, I didn't pay much attention to Judge, but even just before the All-Star Game, that is, at the end of the first half of the season, many people were expecting that "Judge could become a Triple Crown winner." I was so surprised that I immediately checked Judge's batting stats. He was 1st in home runs with 30, 3rd in batting average with .329, and 2nd in RBI with 66. Looking at these numbers alone, it seems like he has the potential to become a Triple Crown winner. However, he only had 99 hits, but 109 strikeouts. I couldn't imagine that a batter who had more strikeouts than hits at the end of the first half of the season could become a Triple Crown winner. As I expected, Judge did not become a Triple Crown winner in the end. Judge had the most strikeouts in the American League with 208, and 154 hits. He was the home run leader, but was second in RBIs. And his batting average ranking dropped to 23rd. Why do I care about the number of strikeouts? And why do I compare the number of strikeouts to the number of hits?  To explain these things, I think it would be good to present some historical facts that I have researched. In the modern era of MLB, which began with the 20th century, 12 players have won the Triple Crown a total of 14 times, and in 13 of those times, the number of Triple Crown winner’s strikeouts was less than half the number of his hits. In the remaining one, the number of Triple Crown winner’s hits was 188 and the number of his strikeouts was 99 (almost half the number of his hits !). ...So now you can understand why I thought there was no way that Aaron Judge could win the Triple Crown in 2017. If you divide the number of at-bats by the number of strikeouts, you can see how often a batter strikes out. Naturally, the higher this number, the less likely a batter is to strike out. In the modern era of MLB, which began with the 20th century, all of the  batting average leaders in each season had this number exceeding 4. In other words, if you strike out once in every four at-bats, you cannot become the top batting average. It is even tougher when it comes to the Triple Crown, which has been achieved by 12 players in total 14 times. In all 14 times, this number of Triple Crown winners exceeded 5. In other words, if you strike out once every five at-bats, you can't win the Triple Crown. …In the case of Aaron Judge in 2017, this number was 2.6. That's not enough to be the best in batting average, and therefore not enough to win the Triple Crown. But there's no need to do this calculation in the case of Aaron Judge in 2017, because it was enough to compare the number of his hits and the number of his strikeouts. Judge has been doing great since 2017. Many people expected Judge to win the Triple Crown in 2022 and 2024. But I thought that Judge wouldn't win the Triple Crown either year. In both years, Judge's hits were more than his strikeouts, but the number of his hits was just barely more than his strikeouts. If you calculate how many times he struck out, you'll find that he struck out more than once every four at-bats. That's not enough to become the batting average leader and win the Triple Crown. In the end, Judge was the home run and RBI leader in both years, but he wasn't the batting average leader. In every era, there are players who are expected to become Triple Crown winners. Even in the 21st century, there are some other players besides Aaron Judge. Of those players, I will mention just one active player here. Shohei Ohtani in 2024. Many people expected him to not only achieve 50-50 but also win the Triple Crown, but I thought he had no chance of becoming the Triple Crown winner because his strikeouts were more than half of his hits. And because he struck out more than once every four at-bats, I thought he had no chance of eventually becoming the top batting average player. ... In the end, Ohtani became the home run and RBI leader, but he was second in batting average. The top batting average player was Luis Arraez, who didn’t strike out even once in four at-bats. It's fair to say that Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are the two active hitters currently attracting the most attention. I think many fans are paying attention to whether these two will be able to win the Triple Crown. I'm one of them too. I'd like to see them both win the Triple Crown, but it may be tough, because they both strike out a lot. Of the 12 players who have won the Triple Crown in the modern era of Major League Baseball since the 20th century, Mickey Mantle is the only one who had at least one season in which he had more strikeouts than hits. However, Mantle had just one season in which he had more strikeouts than hits, which came two years before his retirement. On the other hand, Aaron Judge has already had five seasons in which he had more strikeouts than hits. Shohei Ohtani has had four seasons. But, if Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani can reduce the number of strikeouts, they may be able to win the Triple Crown.   Or, could these two players win the Triple Crown despite having a lot of strikeouts and overturn the historical facts (jinxes) of the Triple Crown I mentioned above ?  I can't take my eyes off these two.   Finally, I would like to note two things that I am a bit concerned about. In 2001, the start of the 21st century, something happened that had never happened in Major League Baseball in the 100 years of the 20th century. It is the emergence of one team with more strikeouts than hits. After that, the number gradually increased, and by 2016 it had reached seven teams. I thought that within a few years, the number of strikeouts would exceed the number of hits in the entire Major League Baseball, and in 2018 it really did happen. And the number of teams with more strikeouts than hits out of the total 30 teams has reached half, 15. There was not a single team in the 100 years of the 20th century, but it has come to this in just 18 years since the start of the 21st century. From then until 2024, the number of strikeouts will remain higher than the number of hits in the entire Major League Baseball. In 2024, there were 16 teams with more strikeouts than hits. I think one reason for these changes is that many batters are now swinging with the aim of hitting a home run. This is something that will continue to happen in the future, but will it make baseball more interesting?  Isn't it going to be boring? In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was selected as the MVP. Given his outstanding performance, including 9 wins and 2 losses as a pitcher and 46 home runs as a batter, the majority of people would say that this was a natural selection. As an ardent fan of Ohtani, I am happy with this selection result. However, there is one disappointing point. That year, 2021, Ohtani struck out more than he had hits (189 strikeouts, 133 hits). This was the second time in history that a player with more strikeouts than hits was selected as the MVP. The first was Mike Trout in 2014. So far, there hasn't been a single example like this since Ohtani in 2021, but unlike in the past, new indicators such as OPS or WAR have become more important, so I think there will continue to be cases where a player with more strikeouts than hits is selected as MVP. …It is very difficult for humans to evaluate other humans, and the evaluation will vary greatly depending on the criteria used. I hope that the MVP selection will be done with a proper understanding of this. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In August 2009. I was in the US from Japan on summer vacation and headed to Fargo, North Dakota in a rental car to visit a facility related to a great Major League Baseball player who retired in 1972. That year, 2009. About a month after the start of the Major League Baseball season, some fans were paying attention to Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays. I was one of them. Crawford's pace of stealing bases was remarkable, and raised hopes that he would exceed 100 stolen bases for the season. On May 3rd, he even managed to steal six bases in one game. However, after a while, his pace slowed down. By the time summer came, it was hopeless for him to exceed 100 stolen bases for the season. ...In the end, Crawford ended the season with 60 stolen bases. Stealing 100 or more bases in a season was a high wall that was difficult to overcome. For a long time since Major League Baseball entered the modern era in 1901, no one could overcome this wall. But in 1962, a man finally overcame this wall for the first time. Maury Wills of the Los Angeles Dodgers achieved 104 stolen bases. Now, after arriving in Fargo, North Dakota, I immediately visited North Dakota State University in the city. I parked my car in the parking lot and walked to Newman Outdoor Field on the edge of the campus. This stadium was the home stadium of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, an independent baseball league team founded in 1996. And on the ground floor of this stadium was the Maury Wills Museum. Why was there a museum of the man who overcame a high wall for the first time in such a place?  It seemed that Wills had been involved with this independent league team since its founding, serving as coach. Newman Outdoor Field Entrance of the Maury Wills Museum The area around Newman Outdoor Field was quiet. There were no people around, probably because it was a day without a game. The front door to the stadium was unlocked. I gently opened it. A wide hallway continued into the distance, and just to the left of the door was a room. This was the Maury Wills Museum. The door to the museum was open, but I wasn't sure if it was OK to go in. I called out to the end of the hallway. "Excuse me, is anyone here?" A young man popped his head out from a room at the end of the hallway. He had a friendly face. I spoke to him. "I'd like to take a look around this museum." The young man replied with a smile. "Please feel free to look around." It was a small museum about the size of an elementary school classroom. On display were photos and paintings of Wills from his time in major league baseball, as well as uniforms and baseball equipment that Wills used. At the very back, a video was playing of aged Wills talking. I headed to the back to watch the video. Wills was talking seriously about baseball, including his time as an active baseball player, but he seemed to enjoy it without being too serious. There was no doubt that he had reached a state that only those who have run their lives seriously and with all their might could reach. This was clearly conveyed from his facial expression, the way he spoke, and the content of what he was talking. Me in the Maury Wills Museum Exhibits at the Maury Wills Museum Video playing of aged Wills talking Although Wills was the first to overcome a high wall, he has not been honored with being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Wills only overcame that high wall once. After Wills, three men (Lou Brock, Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman) have overcome the wall. Two (Rickey Henderson, Vince Coleman) of them have overcome it three times. Two (Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock) of them have been honored with being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. As I listened to the talk of Wills in the small museum, I thought to myself, "But it was Wills who was the first to overcome a high wall and change history. It's not bad to see a man like that talking with such enjoyment in a place like this."   The Maury Wills Museum closed in 2017.   Maury Wills passed away in 2022.   Both are very sad. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

It's amazing that Shohei Ohtani achieved 50-50 (50 or more home runs, 50 or more stolen bases) in 2024, because no one in the long history of Major League Baseball had ever done it. I'm a huge Ohtani fan, and happy or sad about his daily batting performance. I'm in a great mood on the day he hits a home run or gets multiple hits. On other days, I'm in a bad mood. So I was really happy and delighted that Ohtani achieved 50-50 in 2024. But after basking in that happiness and joy, I calmly thought about the historical significance of Ohtani's 50-50 and his future challenges. Here, I would like to present my thoughts on the historical significance of Ohtani’s 50-50 and his future challenges. However, before I write my thoughts, there are some important things that I must mention. So, this is going to be a bit of a long column, but I will try to write it as orderly and clearly as possible, so I would be grateful if you would read it to the end. I would also be grateful for any opinions or criticisms you may have about my thoughts. (A)  Another great 50-50 record When Ohtani achieved 50-50, I was surprised that no one mentioned another great 50-50 record in Major League Baseball. At least, there was no one around me. None of the Japanese media mentioned it at all. What about the American media?  From what I have searched on the Internet, it seems that not a single American media has mentioned it. So, I would like to start with this another great 50-50 record. In 1912, Tris Speaker achieved 50-50, hitting more than 50 doubles and stealing more than 50 bases. This was a fantastic achievement, the first in the history of Major League Baseball. The next time this 50-50 was achieved, 86 years later, in 1998, by Craig Biggio. Since then, no one has achieved it. So even now, Tris Speaker and Craig Biggio are the only two to have achieved this 50-50. Here, I am going to write some important things. Neither Tris Speaker nor Craig Biggio achieved 50-50 by chance. A close look at their records makes it clear to anyone that it is not surprising that they both achieved 50-50. In other words, these two were worthy of being the men to achieve 50-50. First, about Tris Speaker. His 792 career doubles are the most in history. He led the league in doubles eight times. He never won the stolen base title, but he had seven seasons with 30 or more stolen bases. He had 30-30 (30 or more doubles or 30 or more stolen bases) five times (one of which was 50-50) and 40-40 twice (one of which was 50-50). Next, about Craig Biggio. His 668 career doubles are the sixth most in history. He led the league in doubles three times. Five times he stole 30 or more bases (once as the stolen base leader). Five times he had 30-30(one of which was 50-50). One time he had 40-40 (when it was 50-50).From the above, I’m sure everyone thinks that Tris Speaker and Craig Biggio were worthy of being the men to achieve 50-50. Tris Speaker and Craig Biggio achieved 50-50 in the same season, but are there any major leaguers who achieved both 50 or more doubles and 50 or more stolen bases in different seasons?  There are four. Two of them achieved this in the 19th century,   before Tris Speaker became the first player to achieve 50-50 in the same season : Hugh Duffy (51 doubles in 1894, and 50 or more stolen bases four times in 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892) and Ed Delahanty(55 doubles in 1899, 58 stolen bases in 1898). One of the other two is Ben Chapman (50 doubles in 1936, 61 stolen bases in 1931), who appeared between Tris Speaker and Craig Biggio's 50-50. The other is Brian Roberts (50+ doubles in 2004 and 2009, 50 stolen bases in 2007) who appeared after Craig Biggio achieved 50-50. A panel photo commemorating Craig Biggio's achievement of 50-50 after Tris Speaker. (I found this in an exhibition room celebrating the achievements of Tris Speaker, located in the historical building of Hubbard High School where Tris Speaker attended and studied.) (B) 40-40 (40 or more home runs, 40 or more stolen bases) In 2024, Ohtani achieved 40-40, and further extended his record to achieve 50-50. Six players, including Ohtani in 2024, have achieved 40-40 once each. Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2023), and Shohei Ohtani (2024). Of these six, only Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ohtani are still playing as active players.  Here, I'm going to write some important things. Are there any players who did not achieve 40 or more home runs and 40 or more stolen bases in the same season but did achieve 40 or more home runs and 40 or more stolen bases in different seasons?  There are three. One of them achieved it before Jose Canseco achieved 40-40 for the first time in 1988. That is Willie Mays, who is said to be the greatest all-around player of all time. He hit 40 or more home runs six times: in 1954, 1955, 1961, 1962, 1964, and 1965. He also stole 40 bases in 1956. The other two were Ryne Sandberg (40 home runs in 1990, 54 stolen bases in 1985) and Brady Anderson (50 home runs in 1996, 53 stolen bases in 1992). Some people call a player who has achieved 30-30 (30 or more home runs and 30 or more stolen bases in the same season) at least once a first-class player. To date, 47 players have achieved this feat a total of 72 times. This means that there are players who achieved 30-30 multiple times. The most are Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds (these two are father and son) who achieved 30-30 five times. Next is Alfonso Soriano with four times. In other words, of the six players who have achieved 40-40, Barry Bonds and Alfonso Soriano frequently achieved 30-30. Of the six players who have achieved 40-40, the only other player to achieve 30-30 multiple times is Ronald Acuña Jr., who has achieved it twice. Just to be clear, one of the multiple times that these three players achieved was 40-40. The other three of the six players who achieved 40-40 achieved 30-30 only once (when they achieved 40-40). Of the six players who achieved 40-40, only Alfonso Soriano also achieved 40 or more doubles at the same season i.e., 40-40-40. In 2024, Ohtani had 38 doubles, just two doubles short of 40-40-40. No player has achieved 40-40 twice, but the closest he came was Alfonso Soriano. Soriano achieved 40-40 in 2006 (and also achieved 40-40-40), but in 2002 he had 39 home runs and 41 stolen bases. It's a shame that if he had hit one more home run, he would have gone down in history as the only player to achieve 40-40 twice. It's also worth noting that Soriano had 51 doubles that year. In other words, if he had hit one more home run, he would not only have been the only player to achieve 40-40 twice, but he would have also achieved 40-40-40 twice even though no one other than Soriano has ever achieved this once. What a shame. Such a shame. But in the world of sports, "if" is a taboo word. Results are everything. (C) 50-50 (50 or more home runs, 50 or more stolen bases) No one had been able to achieve this in the same season until Ohtani achieved it in 2024, but there are two players who achieved 50 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases in different seasons. I already mentioned Brady Anderson (50 home runs in 1996, 53 stolen bases in 1992) in the 40-40 section, and Barry Bonds (73 home runs in 2001, 52 stolen bases in 1990). However, it's fair to say that there are problems with the records of these two players. First, about Barry Bonds. It seems that most people believe that the 73 home runs he hit in 2001 were due to the use of steroids. ... Incidentally, we have the impression that Barry Bonds always hit a lot of home runs, but apart from 2001, he never hit 50 or more home runs in a single season. Next, about Brady Anderson. There seems to be some people, both then and now, who suspect that his 50 home runs in 1996 were due to the use of steroids or other drugs. The reason why some people have such doubts is due to the following facts. In 1995, the year before he hit 50 home runs in 1996, he hit only 16 home runs, and in the following year, 1997, he also hit only 18, and before 1996, when he hit 50, the most home runs he hit was four years earlier, in 1992, with 21. The most home runs he hit after 1996 was 24, three years later in 1999. Given these records, it is understandable that some people find it strange and odd that he hit 50 home runs in 1996, and suspect that he used drugs such as steroids. However, there is no evidence that Anderson used drugs, and he strongly denies it. So, I think it is fair and reasonable to think that Anderson shone in 1996 without using drugs. I think that human beings can suddenly do something great, even without the use of drugs. However, there will continue to be those who suspect Brady Anderson used drugs. For reference, here is an example of a hitter who shone amazingly for just one season without using drugs. In 2000, Darin Erstad of the Anaheim Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels) hit 240 hits. This is truly an amazing achievement. In the history of Major League Baseball, only 13 players, including Erstad in 2000, have ever achieved 240 or more hits in a season at least once. Since World War II, only three players, including Erstad, have done so. However, the only year that Erstad hit more than 200 hits in a season was 2000, when he hit 240. Erstad's batting average in 2000 was .355, and 2000 was also the only year that Erstad's batting average exceeded .300. Of the 13 players who have achieved 240 or more hits in a season at least once, 12 players other than Erstad had multiple seasons with 200 or more hits in a season, and multiple seasons with batting averages over .300. Strangely enough, Erstad's batting was brilliant only in one season, in 2000. In Erstad's case, it wasn't about the home run. But human beings can accomplish great things only for a certain period, even without using drugs. The opening game, Cubs vs Dodgers, was held on March 18, in Tokyo. A shot of me wearing Ohtani’s uniform, waiting for the stadium to open. Now, I’m finally ready to write my thoughts on the historical significance of Ohtani's 50-50 and his future challenges. (A) The historical significance of Ohtani's 50-50 Before Tris Speaker became the first player to achieve 50-50 with 50+ doubles and 50+ stolen bases in the same season, there were already two players who achieved this 50-50 in different seasons. Before Jose Canseco became the first player to achieve 40-40 with 40+ home runs and 40+ stolen bases in the same season, there was already one player who achieved this 40-40 in different seasons. In other words, neither Tris Speaker nor Jose Canseco suddenly achieved something amazing, but rather there were already “signs (omens)" before their achievement. ... Not only in the field of baseball, but in this world, it is very rare for something to suddenly happen without any "signs (omens)". So, what about Ohtani's 50-50?  There were already two players who achieved 50+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases in different seasons. However, it is fair to say that those two players have problems. Most people believe that one of them achieved 50+ home runs due to drug use. There are also people who suspect that the other achieved 50 home runs due to drug use. In other words, it is safe to say that there were no obvious "signs (omens)" that no one would doubt. Ohtani's achievement of 50-50 is amazing even from a historical perspective. It may be said that a great genius suddenly appeared without any obvious "signs (omens)". The first 50-50 record by Tris Speaker, with 50+ doubles and 50+ stolen bases, had obvious "signs (omens)" that no one would doubt. And it was 86 years after Tris Speaker that Craig Biggio achieved this 50-50 record. On the other hand, there were no obvious "signs (omens)" that no one would doubt when Ohtani achieved 50-50. This means that it is tempting to say that it will be more than 86 years before this 50-50 is achieved again. I'd even go so far as to say that no one will ever be able to achieve this. A female fan before entering the stadium wearing Ohtani’s uniform from his time with the Angels. (B)  Ohtani's future challenges Everyone has different outlooks on life and values. I have my own outlooks on life and values. One of them is that there is a difference in meaning between achieving something once and achieving it multiple times. If you achieved something only once, it may be because of luck or the course of events. But if you achieved it multiple times, it may be said that it was natural that you could achieve it. It may be even said that you deserve to achieve it. According to this kind of outlook, the six players who achieved 40-40 (40 or more home runs and 40 or more stolen bases in the same season) can be divided into two groups. There is a group of three who achieved 30-30 (30 or more home runs and 30 or more stolen bases) multiple times, and a group of three who achieved 30-30 only when they were 40-40 (Ohtani is one of these three). And it may be said that it was natural that the three who achieved 30-30 multiple times were able to achieve 40-40 because they always kept working hard, hitting home runs and stealing bases. It may be even said that they are worthy of being the men to achieve 40-40. On the other hand, the remaining three may have only worked hard for one year and achieved 40-40. I think that I said something very presumptuous and rude. I would like to apologize to the three who did not achieve 30-30 multiple times but did achieve 40-40. Whatever the circumstances, it does not change the fact that they achieved something amazing. There must have been some reasons why these three people did not achieve 30-30 multiple times, and those reasons must be found if we look into them. However, I worry about whether people 100 years from now will look into such reasons. Before he achieved 50-50 with Dodgers, Ohtani never had a 30-30 season in his six years with Angels. More precisely, he never had a season with 30 or more stolen bases for those six years. So, It may be said that Ohtani’s 50-50 was not natural. There will be many people who strongly disagree with this and insist as follows. "Ohtani did not achieve 30-30 before achieving 50-50 because he was a two-way player. If he had focused on batting, he could have done it many times. In 2024, he was not able to contribute to the team as a pitcher, so he decided to contribute to the team by increasing his stolen bases. From now on, he may be able to achieve 30-30, 40-40, and 50-50. If he focuses on batting instead of being a two-way player, he will definitely be able to achieve it." I agree that these opinions are correct. I know that Ohtani in 2024 trained hard before the season to increase his stolen bases, and worked closely with his coach to understand the pitcher's habits. However, I worry about whether people 100 years from now will properly investigate these circumstances. Also, I think we should not bring up the word " if".  Bringing up the word " if" for Ohtani is similar to bring up “if” for Alfonso Soriano. If Soriano had hit one more home run in 2002, he would have achieved not just 40-40 but 40-40-40 twice. But, bringing up the word “if” is taboo in the world of sports. Results are everything. I don't know what kind of player life Ohtani will have from now on. How long will he continue as a two-way player? Will he have another year where he focuses on batting? And I don't know what kind of results he will achieve as both a pitcher and a batter. But I hope that Ohtani will be a player who achieves 30-30 multiple times, and that people 100 years from now will think that Ohtani was worthy of being the first man to achieve 50-50. This is my small humble wish as an Ohtani fanatic. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. It is a famous suspension bridge that crosses the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. It took more than 10 years to complete, and was completed in 1883.  It is still a tourist attraction as a symbol of New York City. There is an American movie in which the Brooklyn Bridge plays an important role. “Kate & Leopold”(2001). The plot of this movie has a very unique premise. If people living in the 21st century jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, they can go to New York in 1876 through a time tunnel. Of course, people living in 1876 can also come to New York in the 21st century by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. However, the Brooklyn Bridge in 1876 was under construction. It was completed in 1883. DVD of movie “Kate & Leopold” (Japanese version) Now. In this movie, a noble man comes to New York in the 21st century from 1876 and falls in love with a career woman. After many events, the man returns to 1876, but the woman follows him and jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge to go back to 1876. The two get together and have a happy ending. I love this movie, but there is one thing I'm disappointed about. There are scenes of New York in 1876 with horse-drawn carriages going back and forth, but there is no mention of Major League Baseball. Even though 1876 was an important year for Major League Baseball. That was a year the National League, which still exists today, started. At that year, New York also had a baseball team in the National League. So, if they were going to set the movie in New York in 1876, I wish they'd made sure to mention at least a little bit of Major League Baseball. If I were allowed to make this movie, I would change the whole story. Hmmm?　Would I have the 1876 New York baseball team jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and play against a 21st century major league team?  That's an easy story that anyone could come up with. My idea is completely different. Because I've noticed one more important fact. In 1876, in Brooklyn, there was a four-year-old boy named William Henry Keeler. This was Willie Keeler, who in 1901 would set a major league record of hitting 200 or more hits in a season for eight consecutive seasons, which Ichiro was attempting in 2008.  So, the story I came up with is as follows. Four-year-old Keeler, who jumps off the Brooklyn Bridge and comes to New York in 2008, is so moved by Ichiro's attempt to hit 200 or more hits in a season for eight consecutive seasons that he goes back to 1876 and plays baseball. Then, as a major leaguer, he attempts to hit 200 or more hits in a season for 8 consecutive seasons, and achieves it.  On the other hand, Ichiro continues to hit 200 or more hits in a season until 2010, setting a new major league record of hitting 200 or more hits in a season for 10 consecutive seasons. ....Pretty good, right? ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

The Astrodome, the world's first domed stadium, was called “the eighth wonder of the world” and has been in Houston, Texas. It was also the home stadium of the Houston Astros. I first watched an Astros game at the Astrodome in 1977. Since then, I watched four Astros games at the Astrodome. The first time I saw the “audience wave” at a baseball stadium was also at the Astrodome. It was in the 1980s. I still remember the surprise and excitement I felt at that time. At that time, I never saw the “audience wave” at baseball stadiums in Japan. The Astrodome, photographed in 2012 So, I have wonderful memories of the Astrodome. And even after the Astrodome ceased to be the home stadium of the Astros in 1999, the Astros have always been one of my favorite MLB teams. Now, the major leaguer I was paying the most attention to in 2017 was the right-handed hitter Jose Altuve of the Astros. At about 168cm tall, he was said to be the shortest active major leaguer. In 2017, this short man could have done something amazing. In 2014, his fourth season as a major leaguer, Altuve's talent blossomed brilliantly. He had a batting average of .341, 225 hits, and 56 stolen bases. These three were the best in the American League. Since then, he continued to have a batting average of over .300, over 200 hits, and over 30 stolen bases until 2016. In particular, he was the best in the league for the number of hits for three consecutive seasons. This was the second-best record in major league history, after the left-handed hitter Ichiro's five consecutive seasons, but there were eight other hitters who held the second-best record. In other words, if Altuve leads the league in hits in 2017, he surpasses these eight great hitters and solely holds the second-best record. I’m sure there are people who disagree with what I wrote so far. I wrote that there were eight other hitters besides Altuve who led the league in hits for three consecutive seasons, tying the second-best record after Ichiro’s five consecutive seasons. However, there are people who say that the number of such hitters is six or seven. What is the correct number?  I think the correct number is eight, namely the hitters listed below. Ginger Beaumont (1902-1904) Rogers Hornsby (1920-1922), Frank McCormick (1938-1940) Ty Cobb (1907-1909), Tony Oliva (1964-1966)   Kirby Puckett (1987-1989) Johnny Pesky (1942, 1946-1947. He did not play due to military service in 1943-45) Stan Musial (1943-1944, 1946. He did not play due to military service in 1945)) By the way, Altuve had already achieved something amazing by the previous year, 2016. In the history of MLB, only two hitters other than Altuve have led the league in hits and stolen 30 or more bases for three consecutive seasons. Ty Cobb and Ichiro. Altuve has already tied with these two greats. If he achieves this again in 2017, he will surpass these two greats. Furthermore, even if Altuve does not lead the league in hits in 2017, if he achieves 200 or more hits, it will be his fourth consecutive season of 200 or more hits, which will raise great expectations for the future. Ichiro holds the major league record of hitting 200 or more hits in a season for 10 consecutive seasons, but the highest number of consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits by a right-handed hitter is five that Al Simmons and Michael Young achieved.  If Altuve hits 200 or more hits in 2017, he will be just one season away from tying this record. Here is about Altuve in 2017. His batting average was .346, the best in the league. His 204 hits were also the best in the league. His number of stolen bases was 32. This means that he led the league in hits for four consecutive seasons and surpassed eight great hitters to solely hold the second-best record. This record is just one season away from tying Ichiro’s record of five consecutive seasons.  And Altuve established the record of 200 or more hits in a season for four consecutive seasons that is just one season away from tying the major league record of five consecutive seasons with 200 or more hits by a right-handed hitter. He also set a new major league record by leading the league in hits and stealing 30 or more bases for four consecutive seasons. This means that he surpassed two greats, Ty Cobb and Ichiro. In 2018, Altuve finished with 169 hits (11th in the league) and 17 stolen bases. That’s very unfortunate. But I have a lot of respect for what Altuve accomplished.  ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions )

May 2016.  I was driving around the US and I wanted to visit Clearbrook, Minnesota. It's the hometown of Wes Westrum. Westrum was a major leaguer who played for the New York Giants (now the San Francisco Giants) for 11 years from 1947. He was a catcher who was known for his defense, although his batting wasn't that great. After retiring, he served as a coach and manager for two teams, the Giants and the New York Mets. He died in 2002. He was 79 years old.   Clearbrook has the "Wes Westrum Museum." I was planning to visit this museum. But there was a small problem. That was the location of Clearbrook. It's far from the interstate highway, so you have to go on a regular road. I like that kind of drive, but it would be a shame to go there only to be told that the museum is closed due to circumstances. So I decided to send an inquiry email to the museum in advance. However, no matter how many times I emailed them, I got no response. So I tried calling, but no matter how many times I called, there was no response. What on earth was going on?  Should I go?  Should I hold off?  When faced with such doubts, I end up going. Well, Clearbrook is a small city with a population of about 500. I immediately looked for the museum, but no matter how hard I looked I couldn't find it. Come on, give me a break. Is the issue not just whether it's open, but whether it even exists? In this situation, it's best to ask at City Hall. There was a police car parked in front of City Hall. Had there been some kind of incident?  Or is it normal for a police car to be parked in front of City Hall ?  I went inside. A police car parked in front of City Hall in Clearbrook The City Hall is a single-story building, but it also doubles as a community center for the residents, and the space inside is quite large. There is also a police office. As I was walking down the wide corridor looking for a staff member, a young white male police officer came out of the police office and called out to me with a smile. "Is there something I can help you with?" When I told the policeman that I was a tourist from Japan and was looking for the Wes Westrum Museum, he was pleased and asked me, "You came all the way from Japan?" He then continued, "But the museum burned down a few years ago." What!?  What the hell?  I wondered what they were going to do with me, having come all this way, but it turned out that the wall of the city hall corridor was serving as the museum. Thank goodness. There seemed to be fewer exhibits than when the museum was there. Still, it's fair to say that it's fulfilling its role well Exhibits about Westrum on the wall of City Hall corridor There are a wide variety of items on display, including newspaper articles about Westrum's exploits, photographs, and amusing caricatures. Among the exhibits, there was one that made me think, "I knew it had to be on display." It was an enlarged cover of the first issue of “Sports Illustrated”.  The cover of the first issue of “Sports Illustrated” featured a photograph of a left-handed batter hitting the ball with a beautiful swing in front of a packed stadium. ...By the way, the cover also states that the issue was published on August 16, 1954 and cost 25 cents. Enlarged photo of the cover of the first issue of” Sports Illustrated” Now, the left-handed batter in question is Eddie Matthews, a legendary baseball player who hit 512 home runs in his career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was also the home run king the year before “Sports Illustrated” was launched. So it would be natural to assume that Matthews was on the cover of the first issue of “Sports Illustrated”. I think that was what “Sports Illustrated” intended as well. However, some people still remember Matthews and Westrum as the ones who appeared on the cover of the first issue of “Sports Illustrated”. That's because Westrum is the catcher behind Matthews. It seems a bit unfair that so few people remember umpire Augie Donatelli, who is behind Westrum. Anyway, I think it's a heartwarming story that a baseball player whose body is buried in the small city where he was born and raised is still remembered by people. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

Many people have spoken a lot about Ichiro's batting. But there are some things that are not spoken. Batting average is a division. It is calculated by dividing the number of hits by the number of at-bats. So, in order to have a high batting average, it is better to increase the number of hits and decrease the number of at-bats. The only way to increase the number of hits is to hit (obviously). The way to decrease the number of at-bats is to walk. It is usually thought that a player who balances both of these is likely to become the leader in batting average. However, Ichiro just keeps hitting and increasing his number of at-bats, as if he has no intention of walking. Although such a player should not be able to become the leader in batting average. Ichiro has been the leader in batting average of the American League twice. In 2001 and 2004. Moreover, Ichiro also had the most at-bats in the American League in both of these years. Ichiro on display at National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum In the history of the major leagues, only nine players, including Ichiro, have been the leader in batting average while having the most at-bats in their league. And Ichiro is the only one who has managed to do this twice. Furthermore, the leader in batting average with the most at-bats in the history of the major leagues was Ichiro in 2004 (704 at-bats), and the second was Ichiro in 2001 (692 at-bats). In 2004, Ichiro's batting average was .372. This is the highest batting average in the 21st century. Even now, no player has surpassed this batting average. And his at-bats were the most in his league (actually, the most in both leagues combined!). Furthermore, Ichiro's at-bats that year were the most in the history of the major leagues for the leader in batting average. This means that Ichiro's single season record of 262 hits in 2004 will probably never be broken. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions)

In the American film “Field of Dreams” (1989),  Shoeless  Joe Jackson, who died in 1951, appears as “ a ghost” in the present world.  The real Jackson was a right-handed thrower and left-handed batter, but in this film, he is played as the exact opposite, a left-handed thrower and right-handed batter. Many baseball fans and major league aficionados have criticized and been disappointed by this exact opposite, calling it a "mistake", but I am impressed by this exact opposite, as a wonderful adaptation and direction that reflects the fantasy nature (ghostly nature?) of the original novel.  Of course, there is a proper reason and justification for this. DVD of “Field of Dreams” (Japanese version) In the masterpiece novel on which this film is based,  “Shoeless Joe” by W.P. Kinsella , the most detailed depiction of Jackson's defense is the scene where he catches a fly ball in left field: "Shoeless Joe drifts effortlessly a few steps to his left, raises his right hand to signal for the ball, camps under it for a second or two, catches it, at the same time transferring it to his throwing hand, and fires it to the infield”.  Does this make it clear whether he is a right-handed or left-handed thrower?  It's not clear, is it?  Isn't it normal to think that the author did this intentionally?   “Shoeless Joe”, the original novel of “Field of Dreams” Next, Jackson's batting in the original novel. There is a scene where he hits, but it doesn't say whether he is hitting from the left or right side. This also seems to me to be intentional. However, when it is written which direction Jackson's hits went, they are always flying to the left side, and there is even a description like this: ”the ball was hit over the left-field fence of my stadium, clubbed by Shoeless Joe off a ghostly relief pitcher during an extra-inning game, a blue darter of a line drive that thudded into the stands a few seats from Karin and me”.  So, even though it doesn't say whether he is a right-handed or left-handed hitter, it would be normal to think that there is an intention to imply that he is a right-handed hitter, which is the opposite of the real thing. Japanese translation version of “Shoeless Joe” I think that the movie beautifully expresses the fantasy nature of the original novel. Unlike text, the images need to be clearly defined as either left or right, so they are completely opposite. A photo of Shoeless Joe’s batting form, found in the house where he spent his later years in Greenville, South Carolina. Incidentally, in addition to Jackson, the film features several other dead major leaguers, the most important of which is a player named Moonlight Graham. The real one was a right-handed thrower and left-handed batter. In the novel there is a scene where he himself says “ I throw right". But it is not stated whether he actually played as a right-handed or left-handed thrower. There is a scene where he is at bat and hits, but it is not clear whether he is a right-handed or left-handed batter. It seems that this is done intentionally. How is the acting in the film?  There is no scene where Graham throws, and there is a scene where he hits the ball as a right-handed batter, which is the opposite of the real one.  I think that all of the adaptations and direction are consistent with the original novel, and the fantasy nature  (ghostly nature?) of the original novel is beautifully expressed. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In the summer of 2007, I visited Greenville, Texas. This is the small city where a pitcher named Monty Stratton lived after his retirement from baseball until his death at age 70.    Stratton was born and raised on a farm in Wagner, a town near Greenville. While working on the farm and pitching for a local baseball team, he caught the eye of a scout and joined the Chicago White Sox. He became one of the leading right-handed pitchers in the American League. However, in 1938, at the young age of 26, he retired from major league baseball.     Monty Stratton’s birthplace, Wagner During the off-season, Stratton returned to the farm and fell while rabbit hunting, shooting himself in the right leg with a hunting rifle. His right leg had to be amputated. Dejected, Stratton was encouraged by his wife Ethel, practiced hard with a prosthetic leg, and made a brilliant comeback as a pitcher in the minor leagues. ...Stratton's turbulent life  has even been made into a movie. "The Stratton Story" (1949), starring James Stewart. After arriving in Greenville, I decided to go to the nearby town of Wagner first, thinking that the farm where Stratton was born and raised might still be there. It was a rural town with farms and houses scattered here and there over a wide area. I drove around the town, but couldn't find Stratton's farm. So I decided to go and ask at each farm and house. "I'm a big MLB fan from Tokyo. I'm looking for the farm where Monty Stratton was born and raised. Do you know where it is?"  None of the farms or houses seemed wary of me, and they were happy to open their doors and listen to my questions. But no one knew the answer to my question.  In fact, no one even knew who Monty Stratton was. Still, most of the farms and houses said, "It's amazing that you came all the way from Japan to look for the farm where Monty Stratton was born and raised. I hope you can find it." At one house, they invited me in and even treated me to coffee and cookies. The owner used to work for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Kobe and was nostalgic for Japan. So, the husband, wife and I ended up chatting for about an hour. It was all just small talk that had nothing to do with Stratton, but it was a lot of fun. I was surprised and happy to find someone who had worked in Japan in a place like this. Giving up on the idea that the farm where Stratton was born and raised must no longer exist, I returned to Greenville and decided to go to a museum that exhibited Stratton's memorabilia. I had found out that such a museum existed before I left Japan. It wasn't a museum dedicated to Stratton. It was a comprehensive museum that exhibited the history of Greenville and famous people associated with Greenville. There was a huge bronze statue in the square in front of the entrance. It was a bronze statue of Audie Murphy. I know about Audie Murphy. I’ve seen some of his movies. But young people in Japan don’t know him. Do young people in USA know him? Murphy was a hero who received many medals during World War II. After the war, he became a movie actor and starred in several Hollywood movies. Murphy was born and raised in a town near Greenville, and it seems he once lived in Greenville. By the way, the bronze statue in front of the museum's entrance is of Murphy in military uniform holding a gun. A bronze statue of Audie Murphy in front of the museum When I went inside the museum, the Audie Murphy exhibit corner was the most prominent. However, there was also a small exhibit corner for Stratton. There were photos of Stratton, uniforms, gloves, etc. As I was looking intently, a male staff member called out to me. He looked to be in his late 70s. "You seem to be interested in Stratton." "Yes. Ever since I saw “The Stratton Story”, I've been wanting to come to Greenville someday. Stratton was a very handsome man. Even more handsome than James Stewart in the movie." "His wife Ethel was beautiful, too. She passed away four months ago." "What, she was still alive four months ago!  I guess I came too late. If I had come earlier, I might have been able to meet Ethel." "Well, it's never too late in life. You came, so that's good." Monty Stratton exhibits and me It's true, it's never too late in life. But I wanted to meet Ethel. I wanted to ask Ethel all about Monty Stratton. Monty Stratton exhibits ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

From now on, I will be publishing columns on this website. They are about Major League Baseball. But with so many books, newspaper articles, and online articles about Major League Baseball, I wonder if anyone will read my columns. I'm worried.　 But anyway, I want to start with the American movie “Meet Joe Black” (1998). I think this is a great movie and it’s one of my favorite movies, but no one around me has seen it. Hasn't this movie been advertised to young women as a sweet love story starring Brad Pitt?  The people who can really appreciate the quality of this movie are people like me who are old and tired of life. ….If you want to know what it's about, watch it on DVD. I won't go into detail here. DVD of the movie "Meet Joe Black" (Japanese version) Now. The main character played by Brad Pitt is called Joe Black. There is a line that a middle-aged man says immediately when he hears the name. I'll introduce it with the English subtitles. "Hey, hey, Joe Black. Won 15, lost 2 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, 1952. I'm king of my rotisserie league."  Sounds like something a Major League fan would say. However, I think this line is incorrect. I think Joe Black of the Brooklyn Dodgers had 15 wins  and 4 losses in 1952, not 15 wins and 2 losses[1]. And, when talking about Joe Black as a major leaguer, there's something more important to note. He was the winning pitcher in the first game of the 1952 World Series. This was the first time a black man was the winning pitcher in the World Series[1]. Biography of MLB player Joe Black Major League fans may say cool things, but they may actually be wrong, or they may not say important things.  I wonder if I'll make mistakes or forget to write important things in my columns from now on. …I'm worried after all.   (If I've made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I'll try to make corrections or additions.)     Selzer, Steven Michael (2010). Meet the Real Joe Black: An Inspiring Life - Baseball, Teaching, Business, Giving. iUniverse, Inc.

Makio Mukai, MD, PhD Born: June 24, 1947 in Tokyo, Japan School: Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan Occupation : Pathologist (retired) Former Director, Division of Surgical Pathology, Keio University Hospital https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Makio-Mukai-39313634 Involvement with MLB : When I was eight years old (1955), the New York Yankees came to Japan. The members of that visit were truly impressive. Six of them had uniform numbers later retired by the Yankees: Casey Stengel(37), Whitey Ford(16), Yogi Berra(8), Elston Howard(32), Billy Martin(1),and Mickey Mantle(7). I watched one of their games at the stadium and felt love with MLB. Since then, I've been an enthusiastic MLB fan. From 2007 to 2019, I wrote a weekly column about MLB for the Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun. I have published three books about MLB in Japanese. My interest in MLB led me to become interested in American culture and history in general from my childhood. http://www.kilroywashere.org/001-Pages/01-0KilroyLegends.html Relatives: Spouse of Chiaki Mukai https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/mukai.pdf