Japanese Baseball Stars Remember Legend Harimoto Isao
Former Japanese baseball player Ochiai Hiromitsu has paid tribute to Harimoto Isao, a legendary hitter who has died.
Ochiai described Harimoto as a man with clear judgment, strong decision-making, and the ability to act. He called him a "manly" senior figure in baseball.
Nakahata Kiyoshi, another former player, also spoke about Harimoto on a TV program called "Sunday Morning." He said Harimoto was a senior he greatly admired.
Matsui Hideki, a well-known baseball player, shared a memory from his first year as a professional. At that time, he had just graduated from high school. Harimoto was his coach then.
Matsui admitted that he sometimes went against Harimoto's advice. Harimoto had suggested that Matsui try the "no-step" batting method, a special hitting style. However, Matsui did not adopt this technique.
These comments from Ochiai, Nakahata, and Matsui show how much respect Harimoto earned during his long career in Japanese baseball. Many players who worked with him remember his strong character and his influence on the sport.
Vocabulary10 words
- tribute
- words or actions that show respect for someone
- judgment
- the ability to make good decisions
- admired
- respected and liked very much
- graduated
- finished school successfully
- batting
- hitting the ball in baseball
- technique
- a special way of doing something
- respect
- a feeling of high regard for someone
- legendary
- very famous and admired for a long time
- manly
- having qualities thought typical of a strong man
- coach
- a person who trains athletes
Quiz
Answer key
1. He had clear judgment and strong decision-making 2. During Matsui's first year as a professional player 3. No, he did not adopt it
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Former Japanese baseball player Ochiai Hiromitsu has paid _____ to Harimoto Isao.
Ochiai described Harimoto as a man with clear _____.
He called him a "manly" _____ figure in baseball.
Nakahata Kiyoshi also spoke about Harimoto on a TV _____ called "Sunday Morning."
He said Harimoto was a senior he greatly _____.
Matsui Hideki shared a memory from his first year as a _____.
At that time, he had just _____ from high school.
Matsui admitted that he sometimes went against Harimoto's _____.
Harimoto had suggested that Matsui try the "no-step" _____ method.
However, Matsui did not adopt this _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think former players wanted to publicly remember Harimoto?
- What does it mean to be a good coach, based on this story?
- Have you ever disagreed with a teacher or coach's advice? What happened?
- Why might athletes choose not to follow a coach's suggested technique?