Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh, also known as Wang Chen-chih, is a retired Japanese–Chinese baseball player and manager who played 22 seasons for the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseballfrom 1959 to 1980. Oh holds the world lifetime home run record, having hit 868 home runs during his professional career. He established many NPB batting records, including runs batted in, slugging percentage, bases on balls, and on-base plus slugging. In 1977, Sadaharu Oh became the first recipient of the People's Honor award. He...
NationalityJapanese
ProfessionBaseball Player
Date of Birth20 May 1940
CountryJapan
This first World Baseball Classic is a great success and it showed a lot of positives to the baseball world, but I don't really know how the Olympic committee would perceive this success.
I thought, at first, our players were a little bit nervous. But we take pride in being the best in Asia, so we loosened up after the fourth inning and were able to score a big victory.
I think the batter was too good for Ishii. It was the eighth inning and the batter came up with a big home run. If I knew he was going to do that, I wouldn't have (put Ishii into the game).
I was disappointed but it's up to him to decide. It was not a surprise that he refused since he had been hesitating for such a long time.
Our games were very close games. I believe either team could have won either game. We would like to show our best performance this time.
He hadn't been in top condition lately, but he was really swinging very good in practice. I had confidence I could use him any time. I didn't have any doubt.
My players showed me a fantastic performance tonight. I know they're doing it for Japan.
I have no intention of resigning. I wouldn't mind dying at a ballpark. I would like to aim high for the team next year.
I was 99 percent sure that our chances to advance to the semi-finals were finished.
Again, it was the same right fielder who made that catch at Tokyo Dome. It changed a situation from one where we could have scored to one in which we did not. It has been indicative of the way momentum has flowed in this tournament.
In the future, I hope to have this Classic as the football World Cup, something many more countries can join.
Before speaking about whether to turn it down or not, I don't think I've got an official offer.
I am proud that Japan is the strongest team in Asia. We are determined to go through at the top.
I had confidence I could use him. I didn't have any doubt.