Asia's 22-year-old dual threat

[reader]

I don't believe that you have to be a sports fan to appreciate the current episode of "60 Minutes." It's about what could be the the first successor to Babe Ruth, the player who began his career as a pitcher but is better remembered for his slugging.

 

 

The most followed baseball player in Japan has signed to play with the Los Angeles Angels. Many feel the personable but reserved dual threat may have an impact on the game unparalleled since the "The Bambino" (aka "The sultan of swat) played for the Yankees 82 years ago..

 

This 6-4, 22-year-old has graceful movements that rival anything you're likely to find on stage. It's simply a pleasure to watch him perform. For those who appreciate the best examples of the Asian male form, I give you Shohei Ohtani.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shohei-ohtani-babe-ruth-of-japan-60-minutes-1/

[steveboy]

As much as a Japanese baseball player has to do with Gay Thailand, one can also find examples of graceful movements of males form Asia or elsewhere in the Performing Arts. The goal in baseball is not to be graceful but to score points. I gave a good example some time ago with the young Asian ballet dancer from Mumbai, and here is another one, this from Houston:

 

 

The baseball player may be a dual threat, but the principal dancer in this video is a zero treat while his excellence is at par with the baseball player, although for much less money.

[reader]

Stevie, have you ever done anything remotely athletic? For if you had, I think you'd appreciate the effort and the results.

 

Catching a baseball or a football, maneuvering a soccer ball or diving from platform, all call for the athlete to use his body in graceful ways in order to achieve fluid movement. It's to be admired no less than the ballet dancer

 

To be perfectly honest, however, I find myself in agreement with you on one count:

 

The baseball player may be a dual threat, but the principal dancer in this video is a zero treat .....

 

With all good cheer intended, Merry Christmas, Stevie.

[steveboy]

Stevie, have you ever done anything remotely athletic? For if you had, I think you'd appreciate the effort and the results.

...

With all good cheer intended, Merry Christmas, Stevie.

 

Merry Christmas to you too, even if your questions don't get much friendlier on Christmas...

 

I don't know what "remotely athletic" is but athletics has been a part of all my adult life. As a kid I was a twink full of complexes and maybe that has kept my interest for competitive team sports at zero. Sports like baseball and American football bore me to death, while soccer is an exception.  But all these professional players are judged by their effectiveness, not at all by their grace. I respect your likeness for baseball and I wish you take full possession of this Japanese player you like so much and make him your own. As older I get, as more I value grace, and for the last years I have been practicing a martial art that is unique for its practicality and grace.

 

I will be content with the dancer performing in the video I posted.  And I have some experience:  30 years ago I frequented a rather cruisy gym in downtown Houston. One time a guy with a very nice body made contact with me in the sauna, and we went to some hidden place in the large gym and did our thing.  He gave me his name, told me he was a dancer, but I didn't think much about it.  Only later I found out that he was the principal dancer of the Houston Ballet at the time. I will always have the pride that in my 40s I was still attractive to principal classical dancers, that is, consummated athletes of the finest kind.  Maybe I'm still attractive 30 years later?  I would not rule it out 

[reader]

Good luck back stage at the Houston ballet, Stevie.  Stay confident and just keep telling yourself it's no different than tiptoeing though the Garden of Earthly Delights at Babs. I'm sure something will come your way.

[vinapu]

. I will always have the pride that in my 40s I was still attractive...............................  Maybe I'm still attractive 30 years later?  I would not rule it out 

Depending on size of your account.......

[steveboy]

Depending on size of your account.......

 

Vinapu, you are a sage.

 

Once the physical does not make 100% of the attraction anymore, it is wise to progressively make up the difference with the bank account. If in some future the account becomes 100% of my attraction it will be a happy stable situation especially if the account lasts as long as the desire, that is, until the last breath!

[faranglaw]

I grew up in Greater Boston, where it is a requirement of citizenship to follow baseball (Red Sox). I love watching the game. There is grace and tension and style to it. I see no reason for an argument about which sport if any is somehow better or more noble or gay enough for this forum. And it is quite true, as this article suggests, that a major league player who is hired for both pitching and hitting would be almost unique in the history of the Major Leagues, so this alone makes the article interesting. Plus there are some very sexy baseball players, especially the Japanese guys. IMNSHO

[reader]

 

[steveboy]

 Plus there are some very sexy baseball players, especially the Japanese guys. IMNSHO

 

There are very sexy Asian sportsmen in general.  I find some of the most attractive in diving, ice skating and gymnastics. And no, there is no argument as to which sport is more gracious or gay for this forum.  What was stated is that sports differ in their requirements.  A baseball player is rated for the many home runs he achieves, not for his grace or beauty. I don't think Babe Ruth was outstanding in these qualities. On the other hand, these are essential requirements in the other sports I mentioned. One interesting hint of this is that many straight men are comfortable with baseball but not so much with male ice skating and classical ballet.  

[reader]

On the other hand, these are essential requirements in the other sports I mentioned.

 

Grace, yes, but beauty isn't a necessary requirement for diving, ice skating or gymnastics. An uncoordinated guy--no matter how beautiful he might be--is not assured success in any of the sports you mention.

 

 

A baseball player is rated for the many home runs he achieves, not for his grace or beauty.

 

Baseball players are rated on more than simply number of runs they score. They're rated also on their pitching, fielding abilities and runs batted in (RBI's) to name a few.

 

 

 One interesting hint of this is that many straight men are comfortable with baseball but not so much with male ice skating and classical ballet.  

 

Hint: a lot of gay men aren't all that big on ice skating and classical ballet either.

[santosh108]

"Hint: a lot of gay men aren't all that big on ice skating and classical ballet either."

 

Better check their gay credentials!

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[reader]

Guess I must be straight because I have no interest in ballet or ice skating. And I don't think any of the locals I spend time with ever expressed any interest in them either--but, then again, most of them are "straight," too.

[vinapu]

 And no, there is no argument as to which sport is more gracious or gay

of course, everybody and his neighbor knows it's weightlifting

[steveboy]

Guess I must be straight because I have no interest in ballet or ice skating. And I don't think any of the locals I spend time with ever expressed any interest in them either--but, then again, most of them are "straight," too.

 

There is little information about Indians in the Amazon jungle having interest in classical ballet or ice skating. And it is not clear if this is related to them being gay or straight.

[steveboy]

of course, everybody and his neighbor knows it's weightlifting

 

Yes, power weightlifters are known for their beauty and grace.  Same as sumo wrestlers.

[santosh108]

And don't forget Turkish oil wrestling!

[reader]

There is little information about Indians in the Amazon jungle having interest in classical ballet or ice skating. And it is not clear if this is related to them being gay or straight.

 

The gibber god has your tongue again. Please get back on your meds.

 

Yes, power weightlifters are known for their beauty and grace.  Same as sumo wrestlers.

 

And don't forget Turkish oil wrestling!

 

Think you guys should approach those weightlifters, sumo wrestlers and Turkish oil wrestlers and describe your affection, stressing just how much they remind you of ballet dancers.

 

Then you should get a room.

[PeterRS]

Baseball has actually had a few very fine Japanese baseball players. The Seattle Mariners signed "Ichiro" Suzuki when he was a sensation in Japan around 2000. He was also extremely good looking and featured at least once on a Time magazine cover. Pity the looks have gone! He remained with the Mariners until about 4 years ago. Then there was the pitcher Hideo Nomo who I think was the first of the Japanese contingent to have a full contract in the USA. He did not have Ichiros looks but I remember his pitching a no hitter for the LA Dodgers around 20 years ago at Denvers Coors Field, a ground notoriously difficult for pitchers. 

 

There are very sexy Asian sportsmen in general.  I find some of the most attractive in diving, ice skating and gymnastics.

Totally agree. Some of the Chinese divers and Japanese skaters (Yuzuru Hanyu who won gold at the last Winter Olympics is aggressively cute) and gymnasts are amongst the best looking of them all. 

[steveboy]

Totally agree. Some of the Chinese divers and Japanese skaters (Yuzuru Hanyu who won gold at the last Winter Olympics is aggressively cute) and gymnasts are amongst the best looking of them all. 

 

You should be commended for your good taste.  Of course, there is something in beauty and grace that is in the eye of the beholder, so we should respect everyone's preferences in these qualities.

 

I'm trying to make this point:  should we not start looking for grace in those activities like some arts and sports where grace is an important contributor to their success?  I recently watched again a movie of my childhood, Disney's FANTASIA, which was so successful because it is the epitome of grace in its animation and music.  No one should miss seeing it, even if it is more than 70 years old.  In other activities, like power lifting, soccer, baseball, politics, war, success is achieved in winning, and grace is not relevant although it does not necessarily be missing.

[reader]

If you go back to the OP,  you'll understand why I'm posting this update. Be forewarned, however: if you're not a baseball fan (or fan of hunky Japanese guys), stop here.

 

From Los Angeles Times

 

 

The anticipation increased with every zero that was posted on the Angel Stadium scoreboard.

This was going to happen. Shohei Ohtani was going to pitch a perfect game.

 

Marcus Semien ruined the fantasy, but only for the day. The seventh-inning single by the Oakland Athletics shortstop felt more like a delay of the inevitable than a death of a dream.

 

So the expectation remained when the Angels' 6-1 victory was complete, only in a slightly altered form.

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-ohtani-hernandez-20180408-story.html

 

It was not even 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. The Angels would play the Oakland Athletics, but not for another three hours.

At that hour, the players usually speed right on into the parking lot. Not on this day.

 

"There's a carnival going on out there," one of the players said as he walked into the clubhouse.

 

So is Shohei Ohtani.

 

The Angels sold out. They sold 44,742 tickets, more than for opening day, more than for any regular-season day game since they downsized their stadium 20 years ago.

 

Ohtani's fastball ran as fast as 99.6 mph. His last fastball – on his next-to-last pitch, his 90th – hit 98 mph. He got strikeouts with his wicked splitter. He dropped in a curve at 68.5 mph, just for the heck of it, to a stunned Matt Joyce.

"That's as good as game as you could ever see pitched," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a man who does not traffic in hyperbole.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-athletics-20180408-story.html