[General] Shohei Ohtani Trivia and Fun Facts Quiz: A Set of Questions That Will Impress Even Fans

light

In his 2013 rookie year, Shohei Ohtani started the season opener batting eighth and playing right field. It was extremely rare for a high school draftee to start as a position player on Opening Day, and it marked a notable achievement not seen in the club’s history for quite some time. In that game, he recorded his first professional hit with a double and his first RBI, delivering a performance of two hits and one RBI. Displaying batting sense unthinkable for a rookie, he captivated many fans.

Tommy John surgery

Shohei Ohtani has previously undergone Tommy John surgery, a reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, due to ligament damage. He had this surgery for the first time in the 2018 offseason, his first year after moving to the Major Leagues. The procedure involves removing the damaged ligament and reconstructing it by grafting a healthy tendon harvested from another part of the patient’s body. It is a relatively well-known surgery among baseball pitchers, especially Major Leaguers. It’s an episode that conveys the struggles he faced on his path to excelling as a two-way player.

Ace

The name of the Golden Retriever Shohei Ohtani’s family kept since his childhood is “Ace.” It’s said that for Ohtani, the youngest of three siblings, Ace was like a real younger brother and a very precious presence. It’s a heartwarming story that also connects to his current beloved dog, “Decopin.”

Hideki Kuriyama

Shohei Ohtani joined the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2012, when the team was managed by Hideki Kuriyama. Although Ohtani initially announced his intention to skip Japanese professional baseball and go straight to the Major Leagues, he decided to join Nippon-Ham after persistent persuasion from Kuriyama and the club, along with the unprecedented development plan to let him play as a two-way player, both pitcher and hitter. The experience there allowed his talents on both sides of the ball to blossom dramatically, leading to his historic success.

Sazae-san

Shohei Ohtani once appeared as himself in the beloved national anime Sazae-san. In a special program aired in November 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sazae-san, a special episode depicted the Isono family visiting Los Angeles and meeting Ohtani. In the main segment, Ohtani even took on the challenge of voice acting, providing the voice for his own animated character, revealing a rare side of himself different from what he shows on the field.

tomato

Shohei Ohtani has been known since the start of his pro career for his rigorous diet and health management, but in fact he disliked tomatoes when he was a child. However, as he pushed his physique and nutritional balance to the limit as a top athlete, he decided he couldn’t avoid this highly nutritious vegetable. It’s said that he worked on improving his diet based on factors like blood test results. It’s an episode that really shows Ohtani’s professionalism.

160km/h

Shohei Ohtani clocked 160 km/h in the semifinal of the Iwate tournament for the National High School Baseball Championship in the summer of 2012, when he was a third-year student at Hanamaki Higashi High School. It was the first time in amateur baseball history that this milestone was surpassed, and it became a historic pitch that rewrote the record for the fastest fastball by a high school player.