IN TOKYO
HAD it not been for the fine performance of team captain and Major Leaguer Ichiro Suzuki, Japan would arguably not have beaten South Korea in the recent World Baseball Classic (WBC) final in Los Angeles for the second time running.
But Ichiro's attitude left me cold.
During the tournament, Japan lost to South Korea twice.
On one of those occasions, Ichiro – as he is known professionally – told reporters after the game that he was “angry” and said so with the look of contempt written all over his face.
The second time that Japan lost, Ichiro refused even to talk to reporters, leaving the baseball park in a huff.
Three years ago at the first WBC, when Japan lost to South Korea on the way to the finals, Ichiro swore that Japan would beat the South Koreans so badly in the finals that the Koreans would feel powerless against Japan for the next 30 years.
Ichiro made no direct reference to South Korea in his remark, but it was clear, from the look of anger and disdain on his face, which country he meant.
It is said that the nationalistic South Korean media pulled no punches when it came to stories about Ichiro and the Japanese baseball team.
But that is no license for Ichiro’s outbursts and hostility.
Many Japanese are no doubt aware of Ichiro’s personality shortcomings. But Japanese commentators also believe it would not be politically correct to tick him off in public, given the euphoria surrounding the Japanese victory.
So there has been nothing but high praise for Ichiro.
To be fair, the Japanese media has not attempted to censor Ichiro’s self-centred comments, but has taken the policy of letting his remarks do their own talking.
There is no argument that Ichiro was the man of the moment. But in my book, he is certainly not the hero of the WBC.
That honour goes to Tatsunori Hara, the 50-year-old manager of the Japanese WBC team who had been given little chance of bringing home the trophy.
The dashing Hara was one of Japan’s most popular baseball players in his playing days and is now manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s most popular team.
Hara is always diplomatic when he speaks to the press and I cannot remember ever seeing so much as a scowl flash across his face throughout his long career.
If the Japanese need a hero and a good role model, Hara’s the man, not Ichiro.