1 of 1 Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Dodger star Shohei Ohtani sparked excitement Friday as he entered the Council Chambers, and the Los Angeles City Council proclaimed May 17 in honor of the popular slugger.
Council President Paul Krekorian and Councilman John Lee led the ceremony to recognize Ohtani and the "unifying" force the Los Angeles Dodgers has on the city.
Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter, thanked the council for the proclamation. He also called it an "incredible honor" and felt humbled by the recognition he received Friday.
"I also want to really thank the Dodgers organization for their continued support, as well as to the entire people in the city of L.A," Ohtani said.
The council members also recognized Dodger leadership, including Stan Kasten, president and CEO of the Dodgers; Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations; front office executives Bob Wolfe, Lon Rosen and Brandon Gomes; and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who were all in attendance.
"It was an enormous moment for this city earlier this year when the Dodgers were successful in completing the most important free agent acquisition, probably in baseball history, when they signed an athlete who has achieved things in professional baseball that no one has achieved since Babe Ruth," Krekorian said.
He added that Ohtani's presence is also important in further deepening the ties between the city and Japan.
Lee noted that with May being Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, it was fitting to recognize Ohtani and his contributions to the field of sports.
"It's such a privilege and thank you for everything that you're doing because we have people (Asian Americans) in politics, we have people in entertainment and all these different things -- and now we have someone in sports," Lee said.
Most City Council members were clad in blue. Councilwoman Traci Park donned her Dodgers jersey and hat, while Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez had the Ohtani bobble head on his desk.
Ohtani signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers during the offseason after six years with the Angels. But since the season began, his on- field performance has been somewhat overshadowed by the firing and subsequent criminal charges against the slugger's former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
Mizuhara is accused of stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani's bank account to pay off illegal gambling debts and personal expenses such as dental work and purchases of baseball cards. He is expected to plead guilty next month to bank fraud and filing a false tax return, charges that could lead to more than 30 years in prison, although it was unclear exactly how long of a sentence he will receive.
Ohtani also made news in the offseason relating to his personal life, confirming on social media his marriage to Mamiko Tanaka, a former Japanese professional basketball player.