Japan will soon start its summer vacation. This means that high school baseball season is returning.
The biggest and most famous game is on the verge of opening. It is the national high school baseball championship, commonly known as the (summer) Koshien tournament. Currently, the regional qualifiers are in full swing.
Among them, the second round game in Niigata Prefecture is attracting attention. It is a match between Tokamachi High School and Takada Agricultural High School. The result was 13-0, a cold game. It ended with a one-sided victory for Tokamachi High School.
However, a certain outfielder from the losing Takada Agricultural High School caught the attention of Japanese media Sports Hochi. It is a second-year student named Hasegawa Oki (175cm, 54kg).
In his first at-bat of the day, he hit a single to left field. Moreover, he successfully stole second base. It was the team's only offensive record. Without that hit, Takada Agricultural High School would have faced the humiliation of a no-hit, no-run game.
But that is not the only reason. His unique batting style is attracting attention.
He was born with a congenital disability. He is missing one finger from his right hand. Despite this condition, he is playing as a baseball player. It is surprising that he stands in the right-handed batter's box and swings the bat.
During his preparation stance, he places both hands on the bat's grip. But as the saying goes, 'the right hand is just for assistance.' At the moment of the swing, he hits only with his left hand.
It is similar during defense. He wears the glove on his left hand. However, when throwing, he quickly switches hands. He removes the glove and places it on his right hand. Then he throws with his left hand.
He started playing baseball in kindergarten. He was envious of his older brother, who is three years older, and begged his mother. He never thought he would be able to continue until high school.
It was at the beginning of his first year in high school. He applied to join the baseball club. At first, he didn’t have the courage to say he wanted to be a player. He hoped to at least be given a role as a training assistant or manager.
However, the coach (Junpei Matsushima) made a concise and firm decision. He said, 'You are a player. You should be a player.'
From then on, his skills improved rapidly. By his second year, he secured a starting position. He took on the role of right fielder and fifth batter.
Of course, this loss confirmed their elimination from the qualifiers. His footsteps must pause for a moment. However, he presents a new goal with the belief that 'having a mindset that doesn’t give up is important.' He is determined to seriously challenge becoming a pitcher next year.
'I didn’t understand when I was young. As I grew up, I realized that I was different from other kids. At first, I felt intimidated and worried a lot. However, thanks to the encouragement of my family, teammates, and coach, I have been able to actively participate,' said Hasegawa Oki.
His favorite team is the Yomiuri Giants. He dreams of becoming like their infielder Hayato Sakamoto.
In Major League Baseball, there is a famous pitcher named Jim Abbott. He played for teams like the California Angels (LA Angels). He overcame a congenital disability of being born without a right hand and achieved a career total of 87 wins in MLB. In 1993, during his time with the New York Yankees, he set a remarkable record of a no-hitter, no-run game against the Cleveland Indians.
There is also an outfielder named Pete Gray, who played in the 1940s. He lost part of his right arm in an accident at age 6. Nevertheless, he managed to hit and field with just one left arm. In 1945, he played 77 games, recording a batting average of .218 and 13 RBIs.
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