We all know the success that Hideki Okajima enjoyed in his first year with the Boston Red Sox. But did you know he wasn’t comfortable the first month of the season.
The Boston Globe has translated an interview with Okajima that aired on a Japanese radio station last night. Here are a few questions. You can see the entire interview by clicking here.
Y: Looking back on the season, both the team and you individually, had a very successful season. What was it like from your perspective?
O: Well, going to America, a whole different country, I had no idea what to expect and I was very worried about the new environment and new language.
I didn’t even have an interpreter at the beginning of the season. In the first three month, I must admit that I was anxious and uncomfortable in my new surroundings.
Y: But you must have had some confidence that you can succeed in baseball?
O: No, I didn’t. I was very anxious, and was not confident. The turning point was when I got my own interpreter one month after the season started. Being able to communicate with people through the interpreter made my being there more comfortable and then I was able to focus on playing baseball.
