#Shortstops: A Japanese Youngster Gets the Win

It was March 23, 2009 – the final game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Dressed in Japan’s red and blue colors, Yu Darvish walked back to the mound at Dodger Stadium for the bottom of the 10th. Darvish had closed out the game against Team USA the night before and already pitched the ninth inning in this game against South Korea, giving up a game tying run.

But with some two outs and two strikes heroics, Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run, go-ahead single to give Japan the lead in the top of the 10th. And so despite the lack of rest, with the score now 5-3, Darvish returned to close the game. He was determined to defeat South Korea and claim the second trophy for Samurai Japan in as many Classics.

At 22 years old, Darvish was playing in the World Baseball Classic for the first time. In fact, the tournament had started with a pitch thrown by Darvish against China. However, it was not the youngster’s first time pitching for his country of Japan. Born to an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, Darvish was raised in Japan and played for his country in the 2008 Olympics, where his opponent, Team Korea, won gold. The right-hander made a name for himself in Japan, pitching a no-hitter for Tohoku High School. He quickly rose in fame, appearing in magazines, tabloids and newspapers.

On the mound, Darvish walked the first batter, then struck out pinch hitter Jeong Choi and got the next batter to fly out. Energy built in the Japanese dugout as coaches and benched players leaned against the railing in anticipation. With one out to go and the tying run still on base, designated hitter Keun-woo Jeong stood ready to face Darvish.

With three pitches, Darvish got ahead in the count 1-2 as Ichiro clapped in support from the outfield and Japanese baseball legend Saduharu Oh watched stoically from the stands. On the final pitch, Jeong struck out swinging, leaving Darvish with five strikeouts over two innings and the victory. Yelling with glee, Darvish was crowded on the mound as Team Japan came together to celebrate their second World Baseball Classic title.

After winning the WBC, Darvish would return to the Nippon Ham Fighters for three more seasons before signing with the Texas Rangers prior to the 2012 season, when he became an immediate star in MLB.

Phoebe Dickinson is a 2025 programming intern in the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Leadership Development