| | TOKYO -- In his native Dominican Republic and his adopted United States, Sammy Sosa lights up ballparks and faces. In Japan, it is no different.
|  | | Sammy Sosa has been the toast of Japan. |
"So-Sa, So-Sa," they yell, hoping the Chicago Cubs slugger will turn their way. "So-Sa, So-Sa, So-Sa," they continue, until he turns and flashes his magnetic smile.
The Japanese media, complete with more than 50 daily sports newspapers, follows his every move. The fans, arriving four hours before the game, cheer his every at bat -- "aaaahs" for the balls hit over the fence, and "oooohs" when they fall short. His photo is plastered on posters in subway stations, on magazine covers and on T-shirts. His autobiography is even published here -- in Japanese, of course.
"They like me here," Sosa says simply.
Japan's love affair with Sosa began when he visited with an American All-Star tour in 1998. That was the year of the home run fest between Sosa and Mark McGwire, the season in which some believe Sosa saved a testy McGwire, urging him to relax and enjoy the ride. Now, some say Sammy is saving McGwire once again.
McGwire turned down the chance to visit the Far East in 1998 and most recently blasted Major League Baseball for scheduling the season opener in Tokyo. He accused the league of being motivated by greed. When MLB wanted the Cardinals to play in the Far East, McGwire urged his teammates to vote against opening the season in Japan. Sosa, on the other hand, urged his team to vote yes.
"I'd like to thank Mark McGwire for voting no," said Sosa's teammate, Mark Grace. "Because if he had said yes, I wouldn't have gotten the chance to come here and play."
Sosa and the Cubs have become true international ambassadors for a game so revered in Japan. It's true the Japanese admire Sosa for his home runs, but what they admire even more is his work ethic and enthusiasm.
"Two years ago when he came over here with the major leagues, he played every inning of every game," said Leon Lee, a scout with the Cubs who spent 10 years playing in the Japanese League. "I think the defining moment of that series was when a fly ball was hit to right field, he tagged up at second, and then slid into third base. The fans went berserk."
"The Japanese were disappointed that McGwire didn't come in 1998," said Sosa's agent, Adam Katz. "Sammy was excited about it and always wanted to go there, and off he went."
Off he went -- springboarding into stardom. Sosa has become an effective pitchman in Japan, with endorsement deals with several major companies, including Crystal Geyser and Mizuno Sports. He appears almost hourly, it seems, in commercials on Japanese TV.
At the end of a Crystal Geyser ad, he says, "Yoroshiku," which means "Nice to know you" in English.
"I know some Japanese words," Sosa said during batting practice before the Cubs faced the Yomiuri Giants on Monday. "But not too many."
That hardly matters.
"When superstars come over here, they usually disappear, show up whenever they want," Lee said. "Sammy made himself very visible to the fans over here, and they'll forever remember that and appreciate it."
During his two previous trips to Japan, Sosa made numerous appearances for charity and, in return, the Japanese baseball league donated close to $25,000 to Sosa's foundation in the Dominican Republic.
"I like the people here," he explains. "They are very classy. They don't boo you, they don't say anything negative. They support you no matter what. That's important to me."
And home runs are important to them.
"Home run ball, please," one young Japanese fan implores. "Sosa, please hit home run ball."
Sammy turns, as he does often, and smiles. The young boy smiles back and waves.
It is really that simple. | |
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