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5/30/’24総会&ロバート・ホワイティング講演GA& Robert Whiting As a Guest Speaker
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5月30日の総会では、故伊藤会長の後を引き継いだ岩田圭剛新会長の就任挨拶があり、その後、故伊藤義郎元会長の長女の伊藤美香子氏(伊藤組社長・国際 ビル社長・伊藤組山林管理育成株式会社社長)が、父親である伊藤義郎元会長の日米の友好親善交流と日米協会に対する執心と想い出について語って下さった。 At the General Assembly, Mr. Keigo Iwata, new President of the AJSHokkaido, a successor of the former President of Yoshiro Ito made an inaugural address. Later, the eldest daughter of the late Yoshiro Ito, Ms. Mikako Ito—who is President of: ①iItogumi Co. Ltd.; ②Sapporo Kokusai Bld. Co. Ltd, and Itogumi Forest Management; and ③ Nurtuing Co.Ltd.— made a few remarks about her father’s lifetime promotion of a lasting US.-Japan partnership and his fond memories regarding the AJSHokkaido.
その後、日米の野球文化論の世界的に第一人者として知られるロバート・ホワイティング氏が、5月30日の総会後のイブニング・ディナーでパワーポイントを使用しての 講演を行った。この日は、講演に先だち、ホワイティング夫妻は千歳空港到着後、日本ハム球団のエスコン・フィールドに立ち寄り、VIPツアーを楽しみ満喫された。この特別ツァーは、本協会の会員で、ファイターズ・ファンでもあるジェリー・ハルボーセンさんの協力を得て実現した。
講演では、1872年に始まった日米野球の歴史、並びに今話題の米大リーグの大谷翔平選手の活躍の秘訣などについて語った。ホワイティング氏は、これまでに『菊とバット』、『イチロー革命』、『大谷翔平はなぜメジャーを沸かせるのか』などのベストセラーを刊行しており、元日ハムの監督であったトレイ・ヒルマンとも親しい間柄の持ち主でもある。
On Thursday, May 30, The America-Japan Society of Hokkaido’s General Assembly meeting featured as guest speaker the internationally renowned veteran American journalist and author Robert Whiting. One of the world’s leading experts on the history of U.S.-Japan baseball for more than four decades, Mr. Whiting has written numerous books, in Japanese and English, and countless articles on the subject. He happens to be a good friend of former Fighter’s manager Trey Hilman.
Thanks to the efforts of AJSH member and die-hard Nippon Fighters fan Jerry Halverson, Robert and his wife Machiko, a former United Nations diplomat, were given a VIP tour at Esco Field—which they enjoyed enormously. That was followed by his AJSH presentation to a packed house at the Grand Hotel.
講演で特にホワイティング氏が講演で強調されたのは、大谷選手は、これまでメジャーでプレーしてきた日本人選手達とは異なり別格であること。例えば、彼の体格(身長193センチで体重95キロ)やオープンな対人コミュニケ―ション、太陽のように明るい性格などがこれまでメジャーで活躍したことのある野茂投手や、イチロー、それに松井選手らとは違い、一線を画しており、大谷選手のみ本物のメジャーリーグ・プレヤーであると太鼓判を押す。これからも、大谷翔平選手のアメリカのメジャーリーガー・プレヤーとしての活躍に期待すると共に、「彼は三冠王も取得できる可能性も高い」と指摘する。
While Robert has written such best-selling books as “The Chrysanthemum and Bat,” “The Meaning of Ichiro,” and, in Japanese, “Why Shohei Ohtani excites MLB and fans?,” his presentation was focused on: 1) a brief history of U.S.-Japan baseball games and exchanges from 1872 up to the present; and 2) two-way player Shohei Ohtani’s outstanding and record breaking performances and awards in recent years.
In Mr. Whiting’s view, Ohtani surpasses or goes beyond such great players as Hideo Nomo, Hideki Matsui, and Ichiro Suzuki. These players elevated the status of the Japanese game. But in the U.S., many felt there was always a qualifier, that they all lacked something.
“That all changed, however, when Ohtani, a player who could hit the ball 500 feet and throw it 100 PMH, came along. Ohtani is kind of like an American version of a Japanese player. His likable and sunny personality attracts people—open and friendly. Some analysts were calling Ohtani the greatest player in MLB history of the game in the United States,” Mr. Whiting said.
In Mr. Whiting’s opinion, Shohei is already a superstar in both countries and a cornerstone of Japan-America friendship. He is the best goodwill ambassador of all time. It is our hope that Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers will, as reported by some U.S. media, agree to play an exhibition game or two at Esco Field next year before the Major League Baseball opener in Tokyo. But regardless, we wish him well!