While we’re waiting for the Fastpitch season to get underway, readers will have to excuse a bit of attention for my hometown Los Angeles Dodgers, who are off to a good start to the 2025 season with a couple of wins in Tokyo.
Dodger fans are excited about the quartet of talent from Japan, including two young rookies, to go with last year’s stellar additions, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto,. One is depicted in the photo below, pitcher Roki Sasaki, who notched his first MLB win yesterday over the Cubs. The other is Hyeseong Kim, a Korean infielder who signed a 3 year, $12.5 million dollar deal. Kim is known for his defensive skills, having won four Gold Glove awards in the Korean Baseball Organization, currently in AAA for further development.
This quartet of players from Japan, have generated a great deal of enthusiasm among fans, a reminder of the impact new talent can have to any team. No better example comes to mind than the addition of four Japanese players to last year’s Omma Tigres, who entered last year’s USA Softball Men’s Major National Tournament as the #11 ranked team, reeling off seven (7) straight wins after a first game loss, including a semi-final win over the then-#2 ranked Hill United Chiefs. A remarkable accomplishment.
So as MLB focuses on the impact of four players from Japan, we take a moment to celebrate four other players from Japan, and the big impact they had on their team’s success in 2024. Our stories below:
Omma Tigres: The Underdogs Who Shocked the Fastpitch World
August 10, 2024 by Fastpitchwest
(Photo by Madeleine Flanagan)
The four Omma Tigres from Japan, not in order, K. Masaki, Y. Toriyama, Reo. Koyama and O. Shoto
In the high-stakes world of men’s fastpitch softball, where rankings often dictate expectations, the Omma Tigres emerged as the cinderella story of the 2024 season. Entering the USA Softball Men’s Major National Championship in Rockford, Michigan as the #11 ranked team in the world, few could have predicted the whirlwind of upsets and triumphs that awaited this determined squad.
The Tigres, a Mexican team bolstered by talented Japanese players, defied all odds in one of the year’s most prestigious events on the elite fastpitch circuit. Their journey was nothing short of remarkable, as they toppled not one, but three top-10 ranked teams en route to a runner-up finish that left the softball community in awe.
After stumbling in their opening game, the Tigres found their footing and embarked on an incredible seven-game winning streak. Their path to glory included victories over the #8 AWP Lumberjacks, #5 Circle Tap, and perhaps most impressively, the #2 ranked Hill United. Each win added to their growing legend, culminating in a hard-fought championship game against the formidable NY Gremlins.
But the Omma Tigres’ story transcends mere on-field accomplishments. Their success is a testament to the power of teamwork, perseverance, and the ability to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers. With players hailing from Mexico and Japan, the team faced unique challenges in communication. Yet, through a combination of basic English, Spanish, and creative sign language, they forged a bond that proved unbreakable on the diamond.
As we delve into the game-by-game recap of the Omma Tigres’ extraordinary run, we’re reminded that in sports, as in life, it’s not always the highest-ranked or most favored who triumph. Sometimes, it’s the underdogs – those who believe in themselves and each other – who write the most compelling stories.
Omma Tigres (7-2)
- L vs Glowworm (5-8)
- W vs Pueblo Bandits (7-1)
- W vs Ohio Bombers (5-1)
- W vs AWP Lumberjacks (2-1)
- W vs Kegel Black Knights (7-0)
- W vs Circle Tap Dukes (3-0)
- W vs Glowworm (7-4)
- W vs Hill United Chiefs (4-3)
- L vs NY Gremlins (0-13)
Fastpitch Fusion
Editor’s Note: Most readers have by now heard about the Omma Tigres‘ remarkable run at the 2024 USA Softball Men’s Major National Championship in Rockford, Michigan over the weekend, knocking off three top ten teams (#8 AWP Lumberjacks, #5 Circle Tap and #2 Hill United) enroute to a runner-up finish. The team reeled off seven consecutive wins after losing their first game, making it to Sunday’s championship game against the NY Gremlins. But there is an equally compelling story behind their success, one put into words by Maddy Flanagan. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
August 6, 2024 by Maddy Flanagan
Reflecting on this weekend’s tournament, I’m struck by the many stories that such events invariably produce. One story particularly stands out for me: the remarkable collaboration within the Omma Tigres, a Mexican team featuring several Japanese players. Language barriers might have posed a challenge, as only one of the Japanese players has a grasp of English, while the others don’t speak it at all. However, the team has found creative ways to bridge this gap.
With a mix of basic English, Spanish, and inventive sign language, they’ve managed to forge a surprisingly effective means of communication. The team’s ingenuity has paid off handsomely. Not only have they become a cohesive unit, but they’ve also achieved considerable success on the field. As one team member shared with me, the Japanese players have been a joy to work alongside. It’s truly inspiring to see how fastpitch softball has united this unlikely group of athletes from opposite sides of the globe.
Their ability to overcome cultural and linguistic differences to form a competitive team is a testament to the unifying power of the sport. The Tigres’ silver medal victory in one of the tournament’s most fiercely contested men’s fastpitch games serves as a fitting capstone to their remarkable journey.