So Taguchi

My hero is So Taguchi. He is a major league baseball player and has been playing for the Cardinals since the year 2002. My life has been affected by So in many ways. I learned that it is important not to give up and to challenge yourself.

So never gave up when he was in the minor league. After coming to the major league, he struggled and went down to the minor league many times. When he was playing in the minor league, the media reported that So was a minor league player who was only capabale of writing a diary. But he never gave up. Later, he was able to go back to the major league. In 2006 National League Championship Game 2, he hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth inning which led the Cardinals to a victory over the Mets. This inspired me to never give up.

He also decided to go to the major league even though he would have gotten more money if he had stayed in Japan. When So Taguchi came to America, one of the baseball teams in Japan was willing to pay more than the Cardinals. However, So chose to come to the United States because he wanted to challenge himself in the country where baseball started. From this, I learned that challenging myself is important.

So Taguchi is not only a famous Japanese baseball player for us in the Japanese community, but he is also a person who keeps encouraging us living in another culture. He came to the Japanese school although he was busy and shared his experience of difficulties in living in another culture, such as miscommunication due to the lack of English proficiency. I was really encouraged by him.

So Taguchi taught me that it is important not to give up, and to challenge yourself. So never gave up while he was in the minors. Although I am having some difficulties living in another country, I will never give up and I will try my best. I hope he and the Cardinals will have a nice season.