When former Cub/Met/Card George Altman died recently, the New York Times reported of his post-MLB career in Japan: "During seven seasons... he hit 193 home runs, becoming a popular player for his slugging and willingness to learn Japanese phrases." [emphasis added] *
Altman worked at fitting in culturally, as teammate and guest.
Professionals in every endeavor, not just athletes, must of course work at their craft as well as their collegiality; but in the western world we're often implored to do what we love, so that we'll "never really have to work a day in our lives."
Freddie Freeman, asked why he banters and jokes with opposing players at first base (and takes abuse from young Blue Jays fans in video ads), says he tries to remember that he's playing a kid's game and should be having fun.
Robert Whiting, in You Gotta Have Wa, observes that "Americans played ball. Japanese worked at it." The Japanese game is more like a martial art, a game of "control" (kanri yakyu) mostly devoid of fun (or at least not primarily aiming at fun).
With so many Japanese stars now shining in MLB, and more on the way, we have an opportunity and an incentive to study and try to understand this contrast in cultural styles. They seem to have meshed effectively for the Dodgers these past couple of years, with Ohtani, Yamamoto, et al.
(And, having now read Altman's memoir, I can report that he seems to have had at least as much fun playing in Japan as in the U.S.)
Will east meet west between the lines, and ultimately sync up? Will the Freeman style of fun endure, for fans and players alike? Here's an invitation to philosophy, which I'll take up in my presentation in March as players resume working and playing ball.
* And there are some great Japanese phrases:
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