March 27-April 2, 2023

Issue No. 478

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Publisher: Christopher Weills

Marketing Director: Robert Moselle

Director of Sales: Ann Cooke

Staff Photographers: Jeff Bayer, Alex Ho, Ed Jay, Ron Sellers, Darren Yamashita, Rich Yee. Kenny Karst (retired).

Contributors: Steve Chain, Harvey Cohen, Andy Dolich, Pete Elman, Rob Flammia, Bruce Macgowan, Robert Moselle, Dave Newhouse, Howard Pearlstein, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, T. Buff, Shelia Young

Social Media: Jenny Kim

Website: www.UltimateSportsGuide.net

Now Available!!!!!

The Ultimate Sports Guide proudly announces the release of Insights and Outtakes, Excerpts and Epiphanies from the World of Sports, a compendium of Pete Elman essays which have appeared

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Crafted to perfection, talented sports writer Elman covers the Warriors, A's, Raiders and

Bay Area sports.

Absorbing, frank and informative, Elman's smart prose makes for entertaining reading and brings to life our sports world with a deft touch.

Highly recommended by:

Dave Newhouse, former Oakland Tribune sports journalist

and author of 19 books

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Arif Khatib, author, filmmaker, founder of the African American Sports Hall of Fame

* * * * *

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Letters to the Editor

Sports Today's "30-1 Odds, Non-Profit" Final 4 Tournament

THREE of the Final 4 teams were picked by Sports Today contributors. WINNERS!

Note: This is a Certified Chalk-Free®️ Tournament.

NO #1 seeded teams made it into the Elite 8 for the first time EVER!

But FOUR of the '30-1 Non-Profit Selections by Sports Today readers made it to the Elite 8 -- a 4-seed, two 5's and a 6. Unmatched by any professional Bracketologist.

Jacques Diamond correctly picked San Diego State AND Miami and is a WINNER!

Jerry Monkman of "The Monkman Files" correctly selected U. Conn to go to the Final 4 and is a WINNER!

Noteworthy: Jacques Diamond's picks knocked out two #1 seeds in one day, Alabama AND Houston! (Houston, you had a problem. Miami! Alabama? How's the Mountain West workin' for 'ya?)

Recap of Tournament Rules: Select teams to advance to the Final 4 to qualify as WINNERS. Selections must be a minimum of 30-1 odds when selected. Contestant WINNERS receive extensive promotion in Sports Today for their favorite non-profits.

Tournament selections are bolded:

South: Winner!

San Diego State U., 58-57 over vs. Creighton (aka, Crayton, after a local Monterey Blue Jay). Congratulations to Jacques Diamond of Oakland, CA.

Midwest: Winner!

#5 Miami v. #2 Texas (awwww): Congratulations to Jacques Diamond of Oakland, CA.

West: Winner!

U. CONN, with an 82-54 win over Gonzaga. Congratulations to Jerry Monkman, South San Francisco, CA.

East:

#9 Florida Atlantic (FAU) beat #3 K-State on Saturday to advance. (FAU had not been selected, but sure proved themselves worthy, and shut down all the Big 12 Conference hype).

Who knows, a Sports Today contestant may just pick the Winner of the Big Dance itself! That would get some BONUS promo, as well it should. Stay tuned!

"By Fan, For Fans," ©️. The Goal? To benefit worthy non-profits as the ultimate Winners.

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Fan Applause

The last issue was terrific. (Perhaps I should say, terrific as usual.)

I especially liked the Dave Newhouse column (https://conta.cc/3yUSPA9), and the Joc Pederson “Drip” rating. (Even though I’m not too sure whether I like Joc yet. He’s so arrogant.)

Penny Matson

Nevada City, CA

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Contents

Columns

Hardly Trivial by T. Buff

Games

Bay Area Panthers 47, Arizona Rattlers 46

C.F. Pachuca 2, Chivas de Guadalajara 1

San Francisco Giants 9, Oakland A's 5

San Jose Earthquakes 0, Toronto FC 0

Features & Commentary

Consider A Donation

The Snarl, Part II, by Howard Pearlstein

Cal's Best Team Ever Talking About Cal's Worst Team Ever, by Dave Newhouse

The Slider That Saved Baseball, by Pete Elman

Organizations

Cal Bears

Golden Gate Fields

Oakland A's

Oakland Roots

Saint Mary's College Gaels

San Francisco Giants

San Jose Earthquakes

San Jose State Spartans

Santa Clara Broncos

Sonoma Raceway

St. Francis Yacht Club

Stanford Cardinal

University of Pacific Tigers

USF Dons

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Cal Bears Basketball

Cal's 1959 NCAA Basketball Tournament championship team front row: Al Buch, Denny Fitzpatrick, Bernie Simpson, Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, coach Pete Newell, Jack Grout, Bob Dalton back row: Bill McClintock, Darrell Imhoff, Dick Dougherty, and Jim Langley

Cal’s Best Team Ever Talking About Cal’s Worst Team Ever

by Dave Newhouse

This is a basketball perspective that is painful on both ends, the best ever Cal basketball team discussing the worst Cal team in history — the 1959 NCAA champions analyzing this season’s Berkeley doormats, whose 3-29 record cost Mark Fox his coaching job.

Six members of the 1959 Cal champions — Bill McClintock, Denny Fitzpatrick, Bob Dalton, Stan Morrison, Ned Averbuck and Dr. Earl Schultz — just witnessed the bottom dropping out on Cal hoops. They were interviewed separately about how to rebuild — or even save — the program.

“I wonder if they should even have the program,” bemoaned Schultz, a retired radiologist. “I don’t know if it’s viable. I sound like a downer, but I don’t know if they can turn it around. I don’t doubt that the rest of the guys (from 1959) feel the same way.”

Well, the other reactions weren’t quite that doomsday, although criticism abounded regardless.

“We didn’t have the best players,” said Morrison, reflecting on ’59, “but we had the best competitors. It takes three things to win: Conditioning, fundamentals, team esprit de corps. We had that at Cal. I saw this year’s Cal team play UCLA. I had no sense of any of those three things taking place.”

Dalton feels “saddened" for the current Cal players, “that they don’t know how to play together, and that they won’t feel comfortable graduating from Cal thinking that the game didn’t give them anything.”

“It hit me really hard,” Fitzpatrick said of the 3-29 record. “I’m not happy with Cal.”

Fitzpatrick was the high scorer with 20 points when Cal defeated West Virginia (and Jerry West), 71-70, to win the NCAA title in Louisville. That Cal team, described as “Just a bunch of guys named Joe,” was ranked 11th in the final Associated Press poll, but won its last 16 games to finish 25-4 -- without a Joe on the roster.

“I bought a ticket this season to watch Cal at Stanford, and I left two minutes into the second half,” said McClintock. “It’s a sad state of affairs.”

“The problems are bigger at Cal,” Averbuck pointed out. “Cal is academic to the bone. Cal is the enemy of athletics. The faculty at Cal has no interest in athletics. But the worst thing that could happen at Cal would be to de-emphasize athletics.”

So from Schultz to Averbuck, a wide range of emotions exist among these men in their 80s about Bears basketball, though, outside of Schultz, they can bear it.

“I’m sad that they’re 3-29,” said Morrison, “but they’re not dead in the woods. There’s an incredible opportunity there. You can turn it around in 24 hours if you get the right guy at the right time. If you can get Mike Krzyzewski….”

Cal basketball coach Mark Fox endured a 3-29 season.

Photo by Ron Sellers

Morrison referenced the retired Duke legend, who likely won’t coach again. But several of these olden Golden Bears believe Joe Pasternack of UC Santa Barbara would be the perfect hire.

Pasternack, a former Cal assistant coach, just led the Gauchos to the NCAA Tournament.

“Joe’s been at Cal, he knows the university system, and I think Joe would be good for Cal,” said McClintock. ”Cal needs a Cal guy.”

“The guy at Santa Barbara is the right guy,” echoed Fitzpatrick. “It only takes a coach and one or two great players. We were good only because of the coach.”

Pete Newell was a coaching icon, worshipped by his Cal players, whom he guided to the NCAA title game again in 1960, only to lose to Ohio State, 75-55. Cal hasn't produced a men’s Elite Eight team since.

“It would be wonderful to bring it back,” mused Dalton. “It’s a shame.”

Averbuck isn’t waving the flag of surrender. “Pete taught us never to give up, and we can’t give up now,” he said. “The University of California, academically and athletically, doesn’t give up because it’s the best university in the world, better than the Sorbonne.”

While waiting on a rejoinder from Paris, we consult once more with the disgruntled Dr. Schultz.

“It’s sad that it just doesn’t add up,” he said of the dour situation, “but if they want to get a good coach…..”

Ah, a glimmer of hope.

* * *

Dave Newhouse's journalism career spans more than half a century, including 45 years at the Oakland Tribune before his retirement in November 2011. Newhouse is the author of 19 books. His most recent book, Goodbye, Oakland, is available in bookstores and on amazon.com. Dave grew up in Menlo Park, graduated from San Jose State, and has radio and television experience, in addition to his work as an award-winning sportswriter and columnist. For earlier articles by Dave published in Sports Today, click HERE.

San Francisco Giants 9

Oakland A's 5

Sunday, March 26, 2023

San Francisco Giants David Villar flips his bat after hitting a three-run homer to help the Giants defeat the Oakland Athletics, 9-5, at RingCentral Coliseum on Sunday, March 26th. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Right fielder Brett Auerbach went 4-for-5 with three runs batted in.

Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Second baseman Tony Kemp drove in three runs with a double in the second inning. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

Center fielder Esteury Ruiz (1) almost catches Nick Allen (2) as both score in the second inning. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo reacts to a photo he is about to sign before the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum. To view an annotated game album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. Caption and photo

by Darren Yamashita.

Bay Area Panthers 47

Arizona Rattlers 46

Sunday, March 26, 2023

The Bay Area Panthers opened their 2023 season at SAP Center with a win over the Arizona Rattlers, 47-46. The team has been completely revamped and is now coached by legendary coach Darren Arbet, a multiple Arena Bowl winner with the San Jose SaberCats. The Panthers won only one game last year and are predicted to show significant improvement in 2023. As is customary at the end of the game, players and coaches and Dance Team members sign autographs and take pictures with fans, building a unique relationship. The next home game will be April 16 as the Panthers face the Tucson Sugar Skulls.

Caption and photo by Ed Jay.

The Panthers defense is much improved from last year. Here they celebrate a turnover against the Arizona Rattlers.

Caption and photo by Ed Jay.

Panthers fans received a foam claw for attending the opening game and it was a big hit. Caption and photo by Ed Jay.

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San Francisco Giants

Gabe Kapler's 2023 Season Preview

Offseason Recap

Dave Newhouse and Andy Dolich invite you to join them for a discussion and book signing for Goodbye, Oakland from Triumph Publishing.

Tuesday, April 11 in Alameda

at Books Inc.,1344 Park Street, Alameda 7-8pm

Saturday, April 22 in Orinda

at Orinda Books, 276 Village Square, Orinda 2-3pm

They look forward to seeing you.

* * *

For Purchase through Amazon:

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Dubs' Report

The Snarl, Part II

by Howard Pearlstein

Someone said, after reading about Steph Curry’s monster snarl, that I should have re-used the Chesty Puller quote from the previous column.

It was about how when a team is the NBA champ, they are the target of every other team as the one to beat whether for pride because they’re still the best, or when they prove repeatedly, they’re NOT still the best, for revenge.

And given that situation, I used the quote from Chesty Puller who commanded the First Marine Division in a battle that lasted 17 days, fighting seven Chinese divisions to get from the Chosin Reservoir to a safe harbor port at Hungnam.

And Chesty Puller, when told they were surrounded and asked what he was going to do said: "We've been looking for the enemy for several days now. We've finally found them. We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem...”

Steph’s snarl was the non-verbal version of that – “Don’t ask me who we have to beat – we have to beat every one of them.”

But if it’s Chesty Puller and the snarling Dubs, I think of Draymond.

And, for that matter Looney, except he doesn’t do snarling.

Haven’t seen JK do it either. Jonathan Kuminga, coming into his own and Yikes! He may need a costume and a cape. Being anywhere and everywhere and moving faster than a moving bullet and levitating over 7’0” centers to grab rebounds – that’s superhero stuff.

This time of year, we see a lot of birds fighting, big birds – hawks and crows and ravens – and little birds, and a whole lot of squawking. And when you look closely you see it’s the little bird attacking, protecting the nest. Because the little birds are faster, and the hawks can’t deal with it…

And then we see JK and no one knows how fast he can be, but he’s a lot quicker than any 7-foot tall center. And the same goes for Jordan Poole and When You Comin’ Back Mr. Wiggins? And GPII with hands faster than the eye – maybe sooner? And everyone on the bench, in various degrees of coming into their own.

Which is why labels like Guard and Forward and Center make no sense for the Dubs. We got a Poole and a Kuminga to play along with a Steph and a Draymond, and still welcoming back our Klay more and more every game.

(Was Michael Jordan a forward or a guard? Who remembers? Who cares? He was Michael Jordan.)

My sense of it is, with so few games left to go until playoffs, it feels a bit like being down 10 points with five minutes left in the game. Or maybe down five points with 10 minutes left. Doesn’t matter. Comparisons are odious. The point is the Dubs have been in both situations and worse and pulled it out. I’m not an optimist, but knowing what they can do and have done, I AM hopeful. So that’s that.

And to add a moment of weirdness -- Mark Cuban’s protest of the game because someone on the Mavs’ coaching staff spaced out and lined up under the wrong basket. Really? Grow up, Mr. Cuban. Move on. We know how it hurts to get screwed by a bad call. Been there. Felt the pain. Moved on.

* * *

Howard Pearlstein has been a few places and done a few things.

An old friend once said, "Howard, you live your life like you're trying to fill in a dust jacket blurb." Well, then all I have to do is write a book that will get published.

San Jose Earthquakes 0

Toronto FC 0

Saturday, March 25

Earthquakes 0, Toronto FC 0

San Jose remains unbeaten at PayPal Park this season

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes and Toronto FC played to a 0-0 draw on Saturday evening at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. With the result, San Jose remains unbeaten at home in 2023 (2-0-1). The Quakes have conceded one total goal across the three home matches and have an active 253-minute shutout streak at PayPal Park.

Both teams featured heavily rotated squads due to various injuries and national team call-ups. Toronto was without Designated Player Lorenzo Insigne and four players called to the Canada National Team, while San Jose was missing Designated Player Carlos Gruezo, midfielder Jamiro Monteiro, defender Miguel Trauco, and goalkeeper Daniel, among others.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.sjearthquakes.com

C.F. Pachuca 2

Chivas de Guadalajara 1

Chivas de Guadalajara legend Carlos Salcido is introduced to fans prior to the match. C.F. Pachuca defeated Chivas de Guadalajara 2–1 in a Tour Rebaño 2023 international friendly match at PayPal Park on March 22, 2023 in San Jose, California. © 2023 Alex Ho.

Pachuca midfielder Paulino de la Fuente (#19, L) is jubliant after forward Cristian Arango (#8, R) ties the game in the 16th minute on a penalty kick.

Chivas defender Luis Olivas (#15) goes for a sliding tackle on Pachuca forward Cristian Arango (#08). To view a photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net. © 2023 Alex Ho.

Cal Bears

BACK-TO-BACK

Cal Repeats As NCAA Champions

MINNEAPOLIS – In a testament to its depth and talent, the California men's swimming & diving team had multiple athletes score multiple points as the Golden Bears secured the program's eighth national championship on Saturday evening at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatica Center. Cal finished the meet with 482 points with one individual champion - sophomore Destin Lasco in the 200-yard backstroke.

Cal has finished among the top two teams at the NCAA Championships each of the past 13 years. This year's championship is the sixth for head coach David Durden. The other titles came in 2011, '12, '14, '19, and '22. The Bears also claimed championships in 1979 and 1980.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.calbears.com

Stanford Cardinal

Card 13th at Nationals

Irene Yeu earns All-America honors in epee

DURHAM, N.C. – Irene Yeu earned her second All-America honor to lead Stanford to 13th place at the NCAA Fencing Championships on Sunday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

With a team of four on hand – Yeu, Crystal Qian, and Joy Yun for women and Donghwan Park for the men – Stanford's combined team got 12 victories each from Yeu and Qian, nine from Park, and eight from Yun to finish with 41 points. Stanford tied with Northwestern on total victories, but finished behind the Wildcats on total touches.

continued...

By Stanford Athletics. For a full report, click HERE

www.gostanford.com

San Jose State Spartans

Muradyan Clinches Match To Knock Off Aggies In Mountain West Opener

BOISE, Idaho – The San José State women's tennis team (6-6, 1-0 MW) started conference play off on the right foot with a 4-1 win over Utah State (5-6, 0-1 MW) thanks to a clutch tiebreak win in doubles by Irena Muradyan and Rozalina Youseva, followed by Muradyan clinching the win in three sets in singles.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

#AllSpartans

www.sjsuspartans.com

Saint Mary's College Gaels

Gaels Advance to Gold Bracket at

West Coast Challenge

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Saint Mary's beach volleyball went out to Santa Cruz for the second time this season, this time around for the annual West Coast Challenge. All seven teams from the West Coast Conference are present on the Santa Cruz sand, a preview of sorts of the WCC Championship in April. Saint Mary's picked up a win in the first match of the day against Portland 4-1 before losing to #7 Loyola Marymount 5-0. By virtue of winning against Portland, the Gaels move onto the Gold Bracket portion of play on Sunday.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

#GaelsRise

www.smcgaels.com

USF Dons

Women's Tennis Bests Gaels to End Week

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Wrapping up another strong week, the USF Dons women's tennis team (9-5, 2-1) picked up their fifth consecutive team win as they knocked off the Saint Mary's Gaels (5-6, 1-1) by a 4-2 final score on Saturday afternoon.

The Dons got off to a fast start on Saturday as they won the first two doubles matches to secure the early doubles point against the Gaels. Battling in singles action, USF was able to pick up three key victories in their lineup as Simran Chhabra, Arianna Capogrosso and Hana Gamracy each got the job done for the Dons

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.usfdons.com

Santa Clara Broncos

Beach Volleyball Splits on First Day of

West Coast Challenge

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The Santa Clara University beach volleyball team earned a split Saturday on the first day of the West Coast Challenge, sweeping San Francisco, 5-0, and suffering a 5-0 setback versus No. 18 Pepperdine at Main Beach.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.santaclarabroncos.com

University of Pacific Tigers

Leroy Shines As Track & Field Participates

In Westmont Classic

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Competing at Westmont for the third time this season, the Pacific women's track & field team participated in the Westmont Classic Saturday morning.

Ella Leroy shined throughout the meet, setting program records in the long jump, and shot put. In the shot put event, Leroy earned the top spot, grabbing first place out of 16 competitors for the first time in her career with a throw of 11.07 meters. Leroy also earned a top-five finish in the long jump with a jump of 4.94 meters. The junior from Chicago bested her previous best of 4.85 meters set at the Sunshine Invite earlier this season.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.pacifictigers.com

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Oakland Roots Sports Club’s Home Opener Postponed and Has Been Rescheduled

The Oakland Roots Home Opener scheduled for today (Saturday) at 7 PM PT vs. Memphis 901 FC is going to be rescheduled due to field conditions. Laney College installed a new turf football field in the offseason. The project’s completion was delayed by multiple weeks due to the Bay Area’s continuous storms. The work was completed late this week and the infill in the football field has not had time to settle causing our turf soccer field to not lay flat. The conditions of the field do not meet playability standards which led to the decision to postpone the game.

The game will be rescheduled to a later date to be determined. Fans who bought a ticket for this individual game will be provided an account credit for a future match. Members will use their ticket for the rescheduled game.

Oakland Roots Sports Club apologizes to our Fans, Community, Partners, League, and Memphis 901 FC for the inconvenience and disappointment this has caused.

continued...

For a full report, click HERE.

www.oaklandrootssc.com

The debut of the Saloon group in 2022 proved wildly popular.

Photo by TM Hill Photographer

Saloon Enduro Brings Entertaining Action to

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

MONTEREY, Calif., March 17, 2023 – A raucous group of 36 “Tin Tops” comprising the 1955-1969 Saloon car class will add an extra dose of entertainment as they compete in a one-hour endurance race to end the third day of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Friday, Aug. 18. In only its second year, the drivers of the popular group put on an entertaining race that fans of all ages enjoyed.

The Saloon class is one of 14 groups participating in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Aug. 16-19, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The historic racing event celebrates its 49th year on the Monterey Peninsula, and together with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, are the founding events of the now world-renowned Monterey Car Week.

continued...

Click HERE.

www.weathertechraceway.com

NASCAR Champion Kyle Larson Will Race First Ever Xfinity Series Race at Sonoma Raceway!

SONOMA, Calif. – NASCAR Cup Series champion and Northern California native Kyle Larson will race in the first-ever DoorDash 250 Xfinity Series race at Sonoma Raceway June 10, 2023. Fans at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race weekend June 9-11 will now have two chances to see the 2021 race winner tackle the only west-coast road course on the NASCAR schedule.

continued...

Click HERE.

www.sonomaraceway.com

St. Francis Yacht Club

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE 59TH EDITION OF ROLEX BIG BOAT SERIES AT ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB

SAN FRANCISCO, CA—The Notice of Race is posted and registration is open for the 2023 Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, California.

Considered the most prestigious regatta on the West Coast and a premier event since 1964, Rolex Big Boat Series brings competitors from around the country and the world to San Francisco Bay for four days of racing. Scheduled for September 13-17, 2023, when conditions are optimal for big breeze, the regatta attracts the highest level of competition, with perpetual trophies and Rolex timepieces awarded to select fleets.

continued...

rolexbigboatseries.com

Bonus for Sports Today Readers!

From Pete Elman, author of a compelling new book,

Insights and Outtakes

Ohtani and teammates celebrate World Baseball Classic victory.

The Slider That Saved Baseball

By Pete Elman

The comparisons with Babe Ruth started in 2013, when the tall, strapping 18-year-old kid fresh out of high school signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball’s (NPB) Pacific League.

Here was the real-life incarnation of “Shoeless Joe” Hardy of Damn Yankees fame, a handsome outfielder with tremendous power who could run like the wind but, unlike that fictitious character, could also throw blinding fastballs. Joe Hardy was the man who sold his soul to the devil to lead his—and my--hometown team, the hapless Washington Senators, to a pennant in the beloved 1954 musical.

Nobody had seen a player like this young man who could hit 100 mph on the gun, crush the ball hard and far, or run so fast around the bases. Mickey Mantle comes to mind—but the Mick did not pitch. Perhaps this prodigy from a small city in the northeastern part of the island of Honshu, best known for its beef and temples—would be the first six-tool player.

With Hokkaido he set records as a pitcher and hitter, along the way winning a Japan Series championship and being named a five-time all-star and the Pacific League MVP. In 2018, just 23, he achieved his childhood dream and signed a major league contract with the California Angels—exactly five years to the day after he signed with Hokkaido, perhaps foreshadowing a flair for the dramatic.

He wasted no time in the States, promptly winning the American League rookie of the year award in 2018. Since then, he has been a two-time All-Star, AL MVP, two-time All-MLB First Team, hit for the cycle, named AP Athlete of the Year and as of last Tuesday, the 2023 World Baseball Classic MVP.

In 2022 he hit a ball with the highest exit velocity in major league baseball, 119 mph. He also had the fastest speed running from home to first, 4.09 seconds. As a hurler, his fastball has touched 102 mph, but it was an unforgettable slider that may have saved the national pastime.

* * *

It was 50 years ago, New Year’s Eve, 1972, when 38-year-old Roberto Clemente’s cargo plane carrying relief supplies to the victims of earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua crashed in his native Puerto Rico. Nicknamed “Arriba,” Clemente was also known as “The Great One” to Puerto Ricans who looked up to him at a time when Latin players were not appreciated. A brilliant player, Clement led by example. He was a selfless man who was always helping others, which tragically led to his death.

The reason he wanted to get on that plane to accompany the much-needed supplies was because the first three supply planes were diverted by the corrupt Nicaraguan government, and Clemente felt if he went there personally the government would allow the supplies to reach the people.

Not since Roberto Clemente perished has there been a foreign-born player who has had such a tremendous and historic effect on baseball—until now.

* * *

Shohei Ohtani strikes out Mike Trout to win

the World Baseball Classic

Fast forward to the fifth World Baseball Classic championship game last Tuesday night in Miami. Japan had won the first WBC Classic in 2006 and 2009, the Dominican Republic in 2013, and the USA in 2017.

Japan and the US were meeting for the first time in the much-anticipated title game, the Americans having crushed Cuba 14-2 in the semifinals, while Japan engineered a dramatic 6-5 comeback win against Mexico in the other semifinal.

Enter 28-year-old Shohei “Sho-time” Ohtani, from, Ōshū, Iwate, Japan.

“Let’s stop admiring them… if you admire them, you can’t surpass them,” Ohtani, the team captain, said to his nervous and excited young teammates before the game. “We came here to surpass them, to reach the top. For one day, let’s throw away our admiration for them and just think about winning.”

In the top of the ninth, with his team clinging to a 3-2 lead, Ohtani, who had already in this series flashed his talents to the world, emerged from the bullpen like an ancient Samurai warrior to save the game and bring glory to his home country.

Third up in the inning was his good friend, Angels teammate Mike Trout, captain of the USA squad, considered by many the best ballplayer in the world. This was the dream matchup the whole baseball world wanted to see.

After a leadoff walk, Mookie Betts grounded into a double play, thus setting the stage for one of the most dramatic at bats in baseball history—amazingly, not in a World Series game. Trout, from Millville, New Jersey, dug in. This was high drama, incredible theater, with everything on the line. Ohtani stared in.

Pitch #1: an 88-mph slider off the plate, 1-0.

Pitch #2: a wicked 100-mph down Broadway, swing and a miss, 1-1. Trout nods.

Pitch #3: another nasty 100-mph fastball, just outside, 2-1.

The excellent young play-by-play announcer Joe Davis declares, “These are two of the greatest baseball players to ever live.” And he’s not exaggerating.

Pitch #4: a carbon copy of pitch #2; Trout swings through it and nods again; 2-2.

Pitch #5: Ohtani overthrows a fastball at 102 and it bounces to the backstop. The disciplined Trout lays off it; the count is now full.

The tension in the stadium is so thick you can cut it with a sword. And, like the last line of a great novel, the ending scene of a classic film--or the unforgettable final piano chord of the Beatles’ A Day in the Life, Ohtani delivers the masterpiece of his life, a filthy thigh-high 87-mph slider on the outside black. Trout has no chance; he swings and misses. Ohtani screams at his dugout as they pour onto the field, and then, in a rare display of raw emotion, ecstatically flings his glove, then his cap.

Game, set, match, and third WBC title, to Japan.

“Japan is back on top of the baseball world,” exclaims Davis.

“This is the best moment in my life,” Ohtani said afterward.

Leave it to 61-year-old Japanese manager Hideki Kuriyama, who managed Ohtani at Hokkaido, to put a zen bow on his team’s beautiful performance in the series.

“Everyone in America thought Shohei and Trout facing off would be ideal,” he said. “Watching that made me think of how great baseball is. It’s symbolic of life.”

How true. But baseball is embattled; in recent years it has fallen way behind the NBA and the NFL in terms of popularity. Most troublesome is that young fans are bored and tuning out. And the powers that be are desperate; they have installed several time-saving controversial new rules this year to try and speed up the game.

But it is undeniable that something very special happened that night in Miami, something that may have changed the conversation. And the fact that it was on the international stage, between two all-star teams who showed mutual respect while representing their respective countries; one where baseball is still religion, and the other where baseball is fighting for its life, is important.

And we can thank the young man from the north of Japan who runs like the wind, wields a bat like Thor’s hammer, and possesses a right arm that is capable of thunderbolts—and deals with the guile and savvy of a true pitcher. He is 2023’s Joe Hardy, come to life; modest, charismatic, classy, and incredibly talented.

Shihei Ohtani threw the slider that may have saved baseball.

Pete Elman

Rockridge, Oakland

Insights and Outtakes,

Excerpts and Epiphanies from the

World of Sports, written by Pete Elman

Previously shared:

Rocket -- Or Flawed Star?

Just Win, Baby

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

It Was More Than Just A Game

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