On March 4, all nine elementary schools in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, received a heartwarming gift: baseball gloves from Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. The city had been heavily affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1.
At Monzen Higashi Elementary School, the children immediately started playing catch, filling the air with laughter and the sound of balls hitting gloves.
In a message to Ohtani, the students shouted in unison: "Thank you for the gloves, and congratulations on your marriage!" Ohtani had just announced his marriage via social media on February 29 JST.
Inspiring Dreams
Monzen Higashi Elementary School, which shares classes with Monzen Nishi Elementary School, brought together all students to present the special gloves.
Ohtani's message was read out to the students, meeting rapturous applause: "I hope these gloves become a symbol to inspire dreams and give courage to the next generation.“
Wajima Senior High School, accommodating students from six other schools that had been temporarily closed since the earthquake, organized a similar event to present the gloves. The city's education board reported a total participation of 90 students across these events.
Ohtani's generosity doesn't end there. He aims to donate around 60,000 gloves to 20,000 schools. Each school will receive three gloves — two right-handed and one left-handed.
能登半島地震で大きな被害が出た石川県輪島市にある全9小学校に、米大リーグドジャースの大谷翔平選手から寄贈された野球グラブが届き、児童に4日、披露された。門前東小では早速、キャッチボールを楽しみ、捕球音が響いた。子どもたちは声を合わせ「大谷選手、グローブありがとうございます。ご結婚おめでとうございます」とメッセージを送った。
門前東小は、合同で授業を行う門前西小の児童と体育館に集まり、お披露目会を開催。「このグローブが私たちの次の世代に夢を与え、勇気づけるためのシンボルとなることを望んでいます」との大谷選手のメッセージが読まれると大きな拍手が起こった。
市教育委員会によると、グラブのお披露目は門前東小のほか、校舎が使えない6校の児童が登校する県立輪島高などで実施され、児童計約90人が出席。
大谷選手は、右利き用二つと左利き用一つの計三つずつを、日本国内の全小学校に計約6万個寄贈する。