Photo/Illutration Pupils at Shohei Otani’s old elementary school in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, try on baseball gloves presented by the Major League player on Dec. 22. (Hideyuki Miura)

OSHU, Iwate Prefecture--Major League player Shohei Ohtani has made good on his promise to start distributing baseball gloves to elementary schools all over Japan, starting with his alma mater in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture.

Three gloves, two for right-handed players and one for left-handed players, arrived at Anetai Elementary School on Dec. 22.

Ohtani, who recently transferred to the Los Angeles Dodgers, attached a letter to the school with the gifts that was read out to the children during an unveiling event.

“I hope these gloves will be a symbol to inspire and encourage the next generation to have the dream (of becoming a baseball player),” it said, adding, “Let’s play baseball!”

In November, Ohtani said on social media that he would donate around 60,000 gloves to the 20,000 or so elementary schools across Japan. Each school is allotted three gloves. Schools in Oshu were the first to receive them.

Sixth grader Mihiro Sasaki, who immediately enjoyed playing catch, said: “My dream is to become a female professional baseball player. I hope Otani will do his best to become the home run king also in the next season.”

Capturing the spirit, three adult baseball club teams in Oshu presented a total of 60 baseballs to 20 elementary schools in the city.

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