Dodgers Invited to the White House After Last Year's World Series Victory
Trump Calls Korean-American Edman "A Player with a Lot of Talent"
Kim Hyesung, Who Joined This Year, Unable to Attend
U.S. President Donald Trump praised MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers) as looking like a "movie star" after meeting him. On the 7th (local time), U.S. sports media ESPN and other foreign outlets reported that President Trump invited the LA Dodgers team, last year's World Series champions, to the White House. Most of the Dodgers players attended the event, and Shohei Ohtani was also present.
President Trump mentioned Ohtani's achievements from last year before shaking his hand. After the handshake, he complimented him by saying, "He looks like a movie star." Trump then praised Ohtani, who made MLB history last year by becoming the first player to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season (54 home runs and 59 stolen bases), saying, "He broke all the records last year," and "It's an unprecedented achievement. Truly amazing."
Hyun-soo Kim, a Korean-American who played for the South Korean national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), also attended the event and shook hands with President Trump. Trump called Kim the "Series MVP" and praised him, saying, "He has a lot of talent." He also mentioned Kim's game records, evaluating them as "pretty good results." On the other hand, Hye-sung Kim, who joined the Dodgers before this season and is currently working hard in the minor leagues, did not attend the event. Some LA politicians also attended, including Korean-American Republican Congresswoman Young Kim (California).
It has long been a tradition for major American sports championship teams to be invited to the White House to celebrate with the President. However, during the first Trump administration, the NBA's Golden State Warriors and the women's national soccer team did not visit the White House to raise their championship trophies due to conflicts with President Trump. Photo by EPA and Yonhap News
Among them, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who led the team to the championship, has a complicated history with President Trump. During Trump's first term in 2019, he publicly criticized Roberts' mound management, and Roberts expressed that he would not visit the White House even if they won the World Series that year. However, Roberts attended this event normally. Mookie Betts, a Black player who won the championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 but refused to visit the White House due to Trump's racially charged remarks, visited the White House this time as a member of the Dodgers.
Meanwhile, it has long been a tradition for the White House to invite major U.S. sports championship teams to celebrate with the president. However, during Trump's first administration, the NBA's Golden State Warriors and the women's soccer national team did not visit the White House despite winning championships due to conflicts with President Trump.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
