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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
WILL BASEBALL SAVE THE AM IMAGE?
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:10:07 PM)
ypher Hideo Nomo led the Asian invasion in spectacular fashion when he donned Dodger blue in 1994. His outlandish corkscrew delivery may have helped draw even more media glare than was warranted by his meteoric rise and fall (and recent re-emergence) as a pitching talent. His Dodger teammate Chanho Park, who came from Corea in 1995, showed that an Asian hurler could have staying power too -- not to mention ultimately command seven-figure annual salaries.
Now the Mariners are stealing the Asian baseball spotlight with the dazzling $13 million Ichiro Suzuki. Halfway into his rookie season here, he was leading the league in hits and steals, not to mention drawing $2 million magazine offers to pose nude. His reward -- an All-Star slot along with Chanho Park. Even better, their respective teams stand an excellent chance of meeting in the World Series.
Currently six other Asian ballers -- mostly Japanese and Corean imports -- are playing in the American majors and are, for the most part, doing well. That's why scouts are now laying the groundwork for importing as many as 15 more young stars from Japan, Corea and even Taiwan in time for the 2002 season. Admittedly, even a contingent of 24 Asian ballplayers would be only 5% of a combined major league roster of about 500. But if Nomo, Park and Suzuki are any indication, they could have a significant impact on the Asian male media image.
But will the media spotlight continue to shine on Asian stars or will it burn out as the novelty fades? Is baseball really a sport that can do much for the Asian male image or will we have to wait for a few quarterbacks and tight ends or maybe centers and power forwards? Or is sports just not up on a par with TV and the movies as a studmaker?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
The slow rise of the Asian (Amerian) athlete is not surprising. While some might blame economics and expectations as culprits for slow progress, the more introspective will realize that the problem is Asian America itself. Like other problems that plague the community, this one is entirely self made. Asian Americans marry out because Asian American parents are failures. Asian American parents allege the supreme importance of marrying in, lament ultimate marriage to a mainstreamer, and deny that they as parents should take all the blame in not raising their kids with sufficient pride and sensibility.
Athletics are no different. Asian (American) parents believe in their own physical inferiority and indoctrinate their kids accordingly. Why raise a child to dream the unattainable?
Before I can run a country, I should be able to run my community. Before I run my community, I should be able to run my family. Before I run my family, I should be able to run myself.
Confucius-X
Confucius-X
Thursday, August 30, 2001 at 00:57:18 (PDT)
KCchick,
Uh Mac Suzuki plays for the Brewers now. He was traded like 2 months ago. Your enthusiasm still rocks though.
chinese boy
Wednesday, August 29, 2001 at 14:05:38 (PDT)
Has anybody read the controversial book "Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports & Why We Are Afraid to Talk About It?" by Jon Entine? Or check out his website at www.jonentine.com
He has an Asian edition coming out in November which address the comparative advantage the Asian body types have. Basically, it says that the Asian type is generally shorter and more compact and not advantageous (in general- I mean there are tall NBA recruit from Northern China such as Wang Zhizhi at 7'1", 255lbs.) for sports requiring power. Though we may have Little League champions- he writes that few develop into the adult type for the Major League (even the likes of Ichiro Suzuki or Kazuhiro Sasaki). Furthermore, he writes that Asians are not naturally good sprinters (with the exception of Koji Ito of Japan) or jumpers, but are competitive as long marathon runners (e.g. Japan's Atsushi Fujita, Takayuki Inubushi and South Korea's Hwang Young-cho and Lee Bong-ju).
He writes that the major area of advantage of the average Asian body type is in flexibility and agility as required in marital arts, diving, gymnastics, badminton, ice skating, wrestling, ping pong (Asians have faster reactions).
Some may find these generalization racist- but these are worth noting and pondering over. If you want a copy of what Jon Entine wrote, just e-mail me and I will be glad to send you a copy (which he personally sent me).
"Ya Mei Ren"
chen_taiway@hotmail.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 13:41:37 (PDT)
the closest thing we have to a true Asian-American baseball star is Bruce Chen. He's a Chinese-Panamanian (his grandpa built the Panama Canal) but he was schooled up in the states and went to i think UCLA. it would be nice to see some Asian-Americans, but since most Americans can't tell apart Asian-Ams and Asians anyway...
chan ho needs to pitch like he has a pair of booral, other than that he's cool.
hardcorean
Monday, August 27, 2001 at 21:24:18 (PDT)
We have a great Japanese player right here in Kansas City! (And I've seen women of all ages, colors, etc. drooling over him while their bf's cheer the team on!!!)
Go Mac Suzuki...Go KC Royals!
KCchick
Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 16:02:11 (PDT)
The Japanese have some pretty good
100 metre runner(s) last time this guy nearly did under ten seconds. Does anyone follow the names of the sprinters?
cbc
Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 00:27:46 (PDT)
what's most important about asians in professional sports (and excelling) is that they give a 10 year old chinese or korean kid in nyc something to dream about.. dreams are what it's about. know what i mean?
peter
peterseo@aol.com
Friday, August 24, 2001 at 18:48:35 (PDT)
As an American (white american) I'd much rather see Asian-AMERICANS having the success the Asia born players are having. I want the world to know we STILL and ALWAYS will have the best talent. So come on Asian-American guys DO SOMETHING!!
Go Phillies!
Wednesday, August 22, 2001 at 07:32:03 (PDT)
There are talented American-born Asians. But the population in Asia just provides for a larger talent pool. What are Asian-Americans, like 3% of the total US population?
I also hope that this Asian presence (regardless of nationality) will help others realize that we are diverse in background and personality as all people are.
Jim
Tuesday, August 21, 2001 at 22:41:59 (PDT)
Asia in general became very prosperous region regardless of recent economic setbacks. But really, I really believe both South Korea and Taiwan are good enough to turn out race car drivers. Japan shouldn't be the only Asian country to produce race car drivers. Many Asian kids love racing (including asian-americans) so why shouldn't afflucent parents support their cause?
Yo
Monday, August 20, 2001 at 08:14:08 (PDT)
Good things are happening. I don't care if women still don't find AM more attractive or whatever. Positive media attention of AM in America normalizes our image deeper in the minds of American children who will undoubtedly grow up seeing Asian men not as a threatening minority but as a neighbor just like anyone else.
Confident ABC
Friday, August 17, 2001 at 15:33:29 (PDT)
Watch out! Jae Wong Seo is gonna be a star, he's with the Mets.
lordt78
Friday, August 17, 2001 at 12:06:33 (PDT)
Besides having Asian athletes, we need to Asian star that can be like a tom cruise, denzel washington etc. that will def. give Asian male a better image. A lot of Asian parents dont belived in acting/sports, they push us to excel in academics and find a stable job. most asians parents dont want put $$$ out for thier kids if doesnt have to do with academics. well... give us a decade or so... you will see more Asian athletes and Asians on the big screen but it will be a slow progress!
philip
unrphil007@aol.com
Friday, August 17, 2001 at 00:26:05 (PDT)
A Hideo Nomo, Chan Ho Park and Ichiro Suzuki can not compare with a Jet Li, Jackie Chan or Chow Yun Fat. The former might be popular with young boys, but almost everyone (especially young girls) are more familiar with the latter.
Big screen
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 22:46:07 (PDT)
Nam brings up a good point. It seems that no matter what the endeavor, entertainment or athletics, more of the people in power (read: white) tend to go to Asia to get the latest and greatest talent. Now that is fine and I am happy, but it seems to me that all these people have to do is look in their own backyards for asian AMERICAN talent. Hey, we all have the same genes as our bretheren in Asia. Nonetheless, we must give props to all these asian sports studs.
sport man
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 22:18:50 (PDT)
Yeah, Asian athletes are a good thing. The glass ceiling mentioned on this site for Asian corporate executives don't apply in sports. Baseball is only the first step. Basketball and football look to be next to FEATURE Asian players. I wish them good luck.
Thomas
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 19:14:35 (PDT)
I saw Chan Ho pitch at Dodgers Stadium against the Montreal Expos the other day. He pitched a fantastic game - he helped maintain his team's 1-0 lead into the 7th inning. That this idiot pitcher (who happened to be a white guy) gave up 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th. I wanted to rip his head off (he cost Chan Ho the win), but on the other hand, it was amusing to see the crowd (a very diverse one, might I add, consisting of mainly Koreans, whites and Mexicans) booing the relief pitcher off while hollering and cheering for a Korean player. Let the good times roll for Asian atheletes -- I'll be sure to buy season passes next year just to show my support for Chan Ho and the Dodgers.
Korean American Dodgers Fan
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 18:49:46 (PDT)
Ultimately I would think, we would want to see Asian Athletes play at the highest levels of competition for professional sports. I'm sure they'll be some media hoopla. But I just want an integration where ultimately there will be no media hoopla, because having Asian Americans participating in professional sports will be seen as a "normal" thing. That will take some time though.
I think seeing Asian Sports atheletes will give the mainstream society a more complete picture of the Asian Image. Basically the message being communicated is that you can't "pigeon hole" Asians or Asian Americans as just business people, white collar types, or good workers. Now we can view them from other perspectives. They are involved in other aspects of society. So all an all it is a positive in that it can potentially breakdown stereotypes.
Enoch
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 16:27:38 (PDT)
Personally, I think that when we have talented Asian players in all the major sports is when Asians will be a force to be reckon with. What I really want to see is more of our home grown Asian Americans playing in professional sports. I know we USA born asians got the size, talent, and intelligence to compete but we are not doing much about it. If only our parents weren't nagging us so much about academics, I think Asian Americans would do very well in sports. I understand our parents want the best for us and they want us to be successful; but what is wrong with being a well rounded person by including sports/atheltics in our life? I think when our parents see those multi-million dollar paychecks and edorsements from pro. sports is when they'll forget why we rejected that 9-5 job at the office. Hahahah!
Nam
Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 12:53:30 (PDT)
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