The last couple of days have really blown the summer heat out of Japan. But that’s not the “cool” I’m talking about here. It’s the experiences I’ve been a part of. First of all, dearly departing Yoshio Itoi put out a “contest” of sorts on his Twitter account and was giving away signed retirement towels. All you had to do was send him a direct message and wait for a reply. I have done this like 4-5 times for his other contests (signed caps, shirts, etc.) but they were fruitless endeavours. Not this time, though!
So now Itoi has my phone number and can call me up and hang out with me anytime. Ha, like that’s ever going to happen!
You never know, though. I got connections and the circle of contacts keeps expanding. I was lucky enough to have been introduced to the former trainer of the Orix BlueWave (and Hankyu Braves, I believe) last month. We went to a Buffaloes game together and he seemed to take a shining to me. So on Wednesday night, he invited me out to dinner.
At the bar run by stolen base legend (basically the Rickey Henderson/Lou Brock of Japan) Yutaka Fukumoto. We sat and had dinner with the legend, along with a few other friends. Anyhow, I did not talk extensively with the man, but did get to hear many stories! I asked a few questions but wish I knew more about his playing and coaching days than I do. I mostly know him as the head guy on Nekketsu Tigers-to, an off-season program about Hanshin that is on local TV every Friday night!
I showed him a picture of us together at the Tigers camp in Okinawa from 6 years ago and he was somewhat amused (and surprised at how young Kunika – the lady on the right – looked back then)…
Fortunately for me, one of the guys we dined with had a few extra signing boards and Mr. Fukumoto obliged us all by signing autographs and posing for pictures. Imagine that – eating dinner with a man who stole 1065 career bases! What a thrill!
So when I say I had a pretty cool couple of nights, now you know what I mean. The fun continues tonight as I make my (gasp) fifth TV appearance of the year, and then watch Itoi guest on Fukumoto-san’s show.
But the real party starts tomorrow with the beginning of the 2022 playoffs. Let’s GO TIGERS! Make us fans proud!