Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had a memorable year, winning the World Series against the New York Yankees. He recently visited his hometown of Naha, Okinawa, where he was born, to accept an honorary award from the city. Roberts, whose mother is Japanese and father was a U.S. Marine, expressed his pride in his heritage and the support he has received from Okinawans. He has always been open about his love for his hometown and even held a baseball practice for local children during a visit 20 years ago. With Japanese players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on his team, Roberts has a strong fan base in Japan. This has led to an increase in Japanese tourists visiting Los Angeles, with projections of over 400,000 visitors in 2024, Ohtani’s first year with the team. Roberts’ trip to Japan came after his second World Series win as Dodgers manager, having also won a championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 as a player. His visit to Naha was a meaningful way to celebrate his success and reconnect with his roots, completing what he called his journey for 2024.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
