Japan celebrates as Shohei Ohtani,にゃん たこ 顔 Yoshinobu Yamamoto win World Series with Dodgers

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

October 31, 2024 at 14:00 JST

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Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

TOKYO--The World Series trophy is headed to Los Angeles, but the party is extending all the way to Japan.

People milled around local train stations in Tokyo on Thursday morning as newspaper extras were ready to roll off the presses, proclaiming Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as world champions along with their Dodgers teammates after a stirring Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees.

“I want to thank my Japanese fans for coming all the way to cheer me this season," Ohtani said on Japanese television. "That cheering gave me some energy so I’m glad I could return the gratitude my winning.”

The newspaper handouts are a Tokyo tradition when Japan celebrates a big event. And this is a huge one for a country whose players were once considered too small, or only good pitchers. Now, there is now strong pride in the fact that their players are among the best in the game.

Japan defeated the United States in the World Baseball Classic final last year in Miami, another sign of the country's prowess in the American pastime.

It was also a victory for Ohtani's hometown in northern Japan — Oshu City — where fans have been gathering all week and anticipating their superstar hero would help deliver the title.