Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Explains Why He Decided to Make Generous Donation to Japanese Schools

Back in December, now Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani donated 60,000 baseball gloves across 20,000 schools in Japan. The generous donation was met with much excitement from many of the students who received gloves.

In a recent interview, Ohtani explained the reasoning behind his donation, and the timing of it.

“The idea came from signing with New Balance and with the Dodgers. Basically, it’s money coming from the fans. So, I wanted to give back in return. It’s not just about the current situation. It’s about the future. About baseball. Well, I think it’s normal to turn it around to some extent.”

— Shohei Ohtani, via Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.

Late last year, Ohtani signed a ginormous deal with New Balance that will fetch him $50 million in endorsements each year. The huge partnership has made Ohtani by far the highest-paid MLB player in branding deals, and contributed to his desire to give back and encourage more kids to take up baseball.

“So, they will be playing baseball in some type of way. The basic of baseball is playing catch with the glove to start with. So, I came up with the idea. When I thought about it, I thought it might not make immediate impact, but I think by continuing to do stuff like this down the road it can help out in a big way.”

— Shohei Ohtani, via Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.

Even without the great donation, Ohtani’s play in itself has gotten many more people interested in the sport. The three-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP is the biggest name in baseball, and a global icon. With Ohtani making his Dodgers debut this week as well, he’s only continued to capture the attention of more spectators.

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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