[News Figures] Shohei Ohtani's Record-Breaking Contract in US Sports... A Model of Diligence and Sincerity

Shohei Otani Decides to Join LA Dodgers
Planned and Executed Since Student Days...Gaining Attention for Skill and Character

Shohei Ohtani, a baseball player who transferred to the LA Dodgers for the highest amount in the history of American professional sports, is regarded as an icon of diligence and passion, having planned and steadily practiced since childhood.

Ohtani was born on July 5, 1994, in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. His father was an amateur baseball player, and his mother was a former badminton player. Standing 180cm and 170cm tall, it is said that his height of over 190cm was inherited from his parents.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ohtani began his path as a baseball player when he joined the baseball club in the second grade of elementary school at a friend's recommendation. By the fifth grade, he had already shown talent, recording a pitch speed of 110 km/h. In his second year of high school, he participated in the national high school baseball tournament Koshien, pitching at 150 km/h, and in his third year, he threw 160 km/h in the Koshien regional preliminaries, earning high praise as being at a professional level.

Initially, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan recruited Ohtani. There, he began to grow as a player who intimidated opponents as a ‘two-way’ player, capable of both pitching and hitting. Encouraged by his manager to pursue Major League Baseball (MLB), Ohtani transferred to the LA Angels in 2017. He won the American League Rookie of the Year in his first MLB game in 2018 and the MVP in 2021, earning a reputation as a ‘monster-level player.’ Due to Ohtani’s two-way play, MLB even introduced the ‘Ohtani rule,’ allowing a two-way player to remain as a hitter even after being replaced as a starting pitcher.

Ohtani gained attention not only for his baseball skills but also for his diligent attitude and passion. In Japan, his daily schedule, known as the ‘Ohtani Plan,’ became a hot topic. Since high school, he wrote down and practiced everything from physical training, lower body strengthening, and increasing pitch speed to picking up trash, greeting others, and taking care of belongings. He once said, "I pick up trash dropped in the stadium thinking I am picking up someone else’s luck." During this transfer process, Ohtani also willingly accepted delayed payment of his salary so the team could strengthen its roster without worrying about luxury tax, earning further praise for his team-first attitude.

Especially famous is Ohtani’s saying, "Life does not create dreams. Dreams create life," which has given many insights not only to Japanese but also to fans overseas.

On the 10th (Korean time), Ohtani personally announced through his social media that he had signed a contract with the LA Dodgers. He is transferring for a total of $700 million over 10 years (?924 billion), the highest amount in the history of American professional sports.