Will Pudge set a Precedent?
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Re: Will Pudge set a Precedent?
[ Author: Guest: Mariner Fan | Posted: Dec 22, 2002 4:56 AM
]
You are comparing apples and oranges when you bring up how Cabrera was treated by Japanese and how American whites treated Aaron. There are too many differences to get into, but one major difference is that Japan is still, overwhelmingly, a one culture society, while America is a multi-cultural society with simmering ethnic rivalries. These rivalries sometimes lead themselves to ugly incidents like the ones with Hank Aaron or the recent gaffes by Trent Lott.
Just the other day there was a question in a Japanese newspaper asking people if they think there are too many foreign words in the Japanese language. A mild form of xenophobia is still very much accepted in Japan. In America, such views could get you labeled a racist or a right wing extremist.
Just the other day there was a question in a Japanese newspaper asking people if they think there are too many foreign words in the Japanese language. A mild form of xenophobia is still very much accepted in Japan. In America, such views could get you labeled a racist or a right wing extremist.
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However...
If he does sign, will that set a precedent?
If Japanese teams offer significantly more money to MLB stars and get rid of the 5 foriegn-player max rule, it might revieve NPB popularity if the MLB stars go to Japan.
I do not think the Japanese baseball fans would be racist about more foreiners in thier league. They didn't send hate mail to Cabrera (I hope) when he was about to break the single-season record (which he didn't) while whites in America sent death threats to Hank Aaron (a fellow American, his only difference was that he was black) during the 1975-1976 off-season when he was about to break Babe Ruth's all time home run record.
The MLB would be much different without players such as Roberto Clemente or, currently, Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerero, Ichiro, and a bunch of other non-Americans.