準決勝の日本×米国戦の始球式で投球するドジャースなどで活躍した野茂英雄氏。右はラソーダ元ドジャース監督＝２１日、アメリカ・ロサンゼルスのドジャースタジアム
大リーグのドジャースなどで活躍した野茂英雄さん（48、元ドジャースなど）が3月21日（日本時間22日）、ドジャースタジアムで行われた第4回ワールド・ベースボール・クラシック（WBC）準決勝の日本―アメリカ戦の始球式を務めた。
背番号「16」の日本代表のユニホームを身につけて登場。その後、ドジャース時代の監督でアメリカ代表のユニホームを着たトミー・ラソーダさん（89）からボールを受け取った。球場は大歓声と拍手に包まれた。
野茂さんは本塁に背を向けるゆったりとしたフォームから山なりのボールを投げた。投球は右上に大きくそれたが、捕手を務めた鈴木誠也（広島）がジャンピングキャッチ。野茂さんは観客の声援に応え、高齢のラソーダ氏をエスコートしながらグラウンドを後にした。
野茂さんはドジャース1年目だった1995年に新人王を獲得。豪快な「トルネード投法」とフォークボールで三振の山を築き、旋風を巻き起こした。その活躍ぶりはアメリカ中から注目され、「ノモマニア」と呼ばれる熱狂的なファンも生んだ。
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