Baseball: A Two-Way Player-Chapter 484 - 92: Legacy (Part 2)
Ms. Tetsuko nodded frequently, and after Lin Guanglai finished speaking, she turned to the camera and said, "Did the girls in front of the TV hear the requirements? If you have ideas, you can take action right now!"
In response to this teasing, Lin Guanglai could only laugh speechlessly and shook his head repeatedly.
Once emotions settled down again, the tone of the entire program returned to a more serious note; Ms. Tetsuko, looking at the cue card in her hand, asked Lin Guanglai a question that many were concerned about:
"You will go to the United States (Major League) in the future, right?"
"Yes." Lin Guanglai’s answer was firm, without any hesitation, and his expression was quite serious, even somewhat solemn, "Playing in the United States is my dream; as long as I have the ability to challenge the Major League, I will definitely go!"
"Do you have plans for when you’ll go?"
After thinking for a while, Lin Guanglai replied, "Hmm... after all, the Major League is the highest stage of professional baseball. Before going there, I still hope to demonstrate my abilities in Japan with actual statistics."
"If possible, in the coming years, I hope to be a member of the team and achieve a harvest of both team and personal honors — MVP, Eiji Sawamura Award, Pacific League victory, Japan’s Number One — I want them all!"
"Fans might not want you to leave by then," Ms. Tetsuko imitated the Softbank fans, making a heart-wrenching gesture; but then she changed her tone, "But I hope one day you can go to the United States, to show Americans what an outstanding person and player you are, and let them praise you as a Dual Swordsmanship player!"
"Rest assured, Ms. Tetsuko, I believe in myself, I can do it — and if that day comes, I’ll return to this show again."
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As night fell, most of the shops had already closed, and the streets were nearly deserted; however, outside Mizuno’s main store in Osaka’s Umeda District, lights were still blazing bright.
"Move quicker, speed up! The quadruple salary isn’t that easy to earn; Minister Itabashi from Mizuno has stated that before tomorrow’s sunrise, this poster must be on the outer wall of the Umeda main store, so that everyone passing by sees it first!"
The foreman under the scaffolding was making final instructions to the workers working overnight, urging them to speed up and quickly install the new poster on the exterior wall of the Umeda main store.
When Lin Guanglai appeared on the national variety show "Tetsuko’s Room," the pendant on his chest resembling the Mizuno logo attracted considerable attention; with joint promotion by Mizuno’s official operations team and Lin Guanglai’s agency team, related discussions had already created a buzz on social media.
Right after the program ended, Mizuno’s official website released their press release:
Lin Guanglai officially signs with Mizuno!
Moreover, in Mizuno’s official press release, it was announced that at 10 a.m. Japan time tomorrow, Lin Guanglai will complete his signing ceremony at Mizuno’s Umeda main store in Osaka — the headquarters of Mizuno and Japan’s largest Mizuno specialty store, spanning seven floors and covering all product lines.
This afternoon, Lin Guanglai’s first set of custom baseball equipment, including gloves, bats, and cleats, had already been specially delivered here and will be unveiled by him personally at tomorrow’s press conference.
Furthermore, to express their high regard for Lin Guanglai, Ichiro Suzuki, a world-class superstar in Japanese baseball and Mizuno’s lifelong endorser, will be invited to the scene for a face-to-face talk with his young junior.
Related professional baseball newspapers and media had already received joint invitations from Mizuno and Lin Guanglai’s agency a few days ago, inviting them to the venue to witness the event.
For many Japanese journalists, such a scene was something they were witnessing for the first time:
In recent years, there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of stars signing with Mizuno, including recognized superstars like Tanaka Masahiro and Abe Shinjiro. But typically, it involves a joint signing statement between the individual and Mizuno’s officials, possibly with a few photos taken — and that’s it;
But for Lin Guanglai, with a grand signing ceremony, individually tailored high-end customization, and extensive invitations, this treatment is truly unique.
It seems Mizuno really values Lin Guanglai, almost treating him as their "favorite son."
The next morning, with over an hour before the press conference began, when journalists arrived at Mizuno’s Umeda main store in Osaka, this is the scene they observed:
A gigantic poster covered the entire seven-story building of the Umeda main store, the whole image divided diagonally, creating a sense of a pitcher and batter facing off.
The lower left of the image featured Lin Guanglai wearing a Softbank white home jersey. On the pitcher’s mound, he was executing a powerful pitching action, his arm lines clearly visible, his fully twisted body showcasing the beauty of physical strength;
The upper right of the image also featured Lin Guanglai, but this time he was dressed in the Softbank team’s black away jersey. He held a bat with the Mizuno logo, ready to swing, eyes locked determinedly on the incoming ball, filled with resolute aggression.
One pitch, one hit, fully highlighting his unique talent as a Dual Swordsmanship player; in the middle of the image was a promotional phrase crafted by Mizuno’s advertising department specifically for him:
"Dual Talent, Top-tier Proof."
The massive poster urgently caught the eyes of onlookers, as if proclaiming the dawn of a new era in the baseball world.
Shortly afterward, under the flash of numerous media cameras, Mizuno officially completed the signing ceremony with Lin Guanglai and, under everyone’s watch, unveiled his first set of personalized equipment.
In the center of the glass display case, the first thing to catch the eye was the black maple bat. The wood grain subtly emerged under the black coating, reminiscent of a brilliantly shining katana in the night, each edge and curve revealing precise austerity.
Behind the bat, two gloves were displayed side by side, perfectly exemplifying Lin Guanglai’s unique position as both a pitcher and a fielder. The gloves were in classic black and gold tones, understated yet dignified; the thumb side bore Lin Guanglai’s name and his number 21.
The lower section contained two configurations of cleats, high-tops and low-tops, catering to Lin Guanglai’s different needs as a pitcher or batter in games; the streamlined last and clean-cut design conveyed both speed and power.
If this unveiling ceremony was just the appetizer for the launch event, then when Ichiro Suzuki, dressed in casual attire, walked out from backstage, the event reached its climax.
This was Lin Guanglai’s first time in such close proximity to this legend of Japanese, Asian, and even world baseball; upon seeing Ichiro, he couldn’t suppress his excitement, bowing nearly 90 degrees to express his respect.
The two sat on the sofa in the center of the stage and began a conversation guided by the on-site host; now in the twilight of his career, Ichiro did not hesitate to impart his wisdom to his junior, sharing many insights and experiences about baseball, which Lin Guanglai found very rewarding.
Subsequently, the two exchanged gifts: Ichiro Suzuki presented Lin Guanglai with a bat he used during the 2004 season — the season in which he set the record for most hits in history;
Lin Guanglai’s return gift was the game ball from the 2011 Summer League finals against Koushing Academy: in that match, he pitched the only perfect game in Summer League history, leading his team to a consecutive spring-summer victory.
Finally, the two each received gear provided by Mizuno from staff members and posed in pitching and batting stances for a mutual smile — this moment concerning the past and future, ideals and legacy was henceforth forever captured.
The press conference ended in a lively atmosphere, and soon, the new season would begin.
