...
By Tyler Erzberger
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
To catch a ball thrown by the Los Angeles Dodgers' ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is one of the coolest things that can happen to you at a baseball stadium.
The World Series MVP has reached a new stratosphere of fame after winning back-to-back games to lead the Dodgers to their second-straight championship in dramatic fashion.
In Los Angeles, dozens of people would fight over who would get to keep a ball thrown by one of the already best Japanese pitchers in history at 27 years old.
Read More on MLB
But take those levels of fame and admiration, multiply them by a thousand, and that's how it would feel for a fan in Japan to catch a ball thrown by Yamamoto.
During Samurai Japan's first exhibition game of the WBC lead-up against Yamamoto's former team, the Orix Buffaloes, a fan got to experience that feeling.
More news: Shohei Ohtani Goes Viral After Wild Fan Reaction in Japan
...
More news: Tarik Skubal Blasted as ‘Quitter’ as Team USA WBC Strategy Draws Outrage
Yamamoto, working out in the outfield and doing his renowned stretch routine, was caught up by a small fan above him in a Dodgers hat trying to get his attention.
After Yamamoto realized what was going on, he picked out the kid with the black "LA" hat and his father, perfectly angling the ball towards them. While it reached the right area, the ball was too high for the child, dropping into the waiting arms of a slightly older kid behind them.
The older kid in blue caught it and immediately handed it to the smaller boy in front of him, a moment that has now gone viral on social media. The receiver of the ball looked on in amazement at the situation, first thanking the older kid, then Yamamoto on the field below.
While other clips in baseball have created a firestorm online with older fans stealing balls away from kids, it couldn't be more different at the WBC in Japan. Before the older kid could even think twice, he lunged to give the younger child the Yamamoto keepsake.
Ball or no, it's a memory both kids will remember for the rest of their lives.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines