Decoy Ohtani
 Decoy's United States visa photograph | |
| Other name(s) | Dekopin Ohtani |
|---|---|
| Species | Dog |
| Breed | Kooikerhondje |
| Owner | Shohei Ohtani |
Decoy Ohtani (born June 18, 2023),[1] known in Japanese as Dekopin (デコピン), is a Kooikerhondje owned by Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani. He is a fixture in the Los Angeles Dodgers fandom, and has been described as the team's "Most Valuable Pet".[2] He has also featured in merchandise and was granted an honorary visa by the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo.
Biography
[edit]Shohei Ohtani held Decoy in his lap when he won his second Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player award in November 2023. Upon winning, Ohtani gave the dog a high five, and he became viral among fans.[3] The next month, Shohei Ohtani publicly revealed the dog's name, Dekopin,[4] which is a Japanese term referring to the act of flicking a person on the forehead. He also clarified that Dekopin's name in English is Decoy, which was chosen because he believed that some Americans might struggle to pronounce the Japanese name.[5]
In January 2024, Shohei and Decoy visited the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, where Decoy was granted an honorary travel visa by Rahm Emanuel.[6][7][8] In August 2024, Decoy threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodger Stadium.[9][10][11] To celebrate the event, the Dodgers held a giveaway of bobblehead toys depicting him with Decoy.[12][13][14] Decoy would go on to appear at the Dodgers' victory parade in November 2024 where he interacted with young fans.[15] That month, he also appeared in a video alongside Mamiko Tanaka celebrating Shohei Ohtani's third Most Valuable Player award.[16] In December 2024, Decoy met with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and posed with him for photographs.[17]
Ohtani's $7.85 million home purchase was conducted through an LLC named "Decopin," a tribute to his pet dog.[18][19][20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "「可愛すぎて癒された」大谷翔平がストーリーズで"デコピンの１歳の誕生日"を祝福「久しぶりに見れてうれしい」とファン歓喜". THE DIGEST (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-24.
- ^ "Meet Decoy Ohtani, perhaps the most valuable pet of the World Series". AP News. 2024-11-01. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Andres, Patrick (2023-11-17). "Shohei Ohtani's Dog Stole the Show During MLB's MVP Ceremony". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Finally Reveals the Name of His Beloved Dog". WRBL. 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Baseball: New Dodger Shohei Ohtani flicks the script with unusual dog name". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Shohei Ohtani visits US Embassy in Japan and his dog gets mock visa". AP News. 2024-01-11. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Shohei Ohtani's Dog 'Decoy' Receives Joke Visa from U.S. Embassy in Japan: Passport Number '000MVPUP000'". People.com. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Prillaman, Jennifer (2024-03-01). "Baseball star's dog "visa" goes viral". State Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Shohei Ohtani and His Dog, Decoy, Steal the Show at Dodger Stadium". DiversityComm. 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Bowman, Emma (August 29, 2024). "Shohei Ohtani's dog 'throws out' 1st pitch at Dodgers game". NPR.
- ^ Baek, Susan (2024-08-29). "Shohei Ohtani's dog Decoy throws perfect first pitch at Dodgers game". NBC News. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ "Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy, featured on superstar's 2nd bobblehead giveaway". AP News. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Got your ticket for bobblehead night? Check. Get the bobblehead? Not so fast". Los Angeles Times. 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "Ohtani, dog share spotlight on bobblehead night". ESPN.com. 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Ronald, Issy (2024-11-02). "Shohei Ohtani, and his dog, steal the show at Los Angeles Dodgers victory parade". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Henderson, Cydney. "Shohei Ohtani's wife and dog Decoy have priceless reaction to slugger winning MVP award". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Das, Sagarika (2024-12-24). "Shohei Ohtani Meets Internationally Acclaimed Chef With His Pet Decoy Amid a Record-Tying Achievement". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ Rosenthal, Ken. "The insular relationships that protected Shohei Ohtani — until they didn't". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani buys La Cañada Flintridge mansion from Adam Carolla for $7.85 million". Los Angeles Times. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Decopin LLC Los Angeles, CA - filing information". www.bizprofile.net. Retrieved 2024-12-18.