Episode 148: Throwing Dreams ☆

September 8, 2026

The other day in Sendai, I was given the opportunity to throw the ceremonial first pitch for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

How many times have I thrown for Rakuten now? Until now, I've had the privilege of experiencing ceremonial first pitches for various baseball teams, but every time I stand on the mound, I get a slightly mysterious feeling inside.

That's because, as a young boy, I genuinely wanted to become a professional baseball player.

Ever since I was small, I loved the Chunichi Dragons and continued playing baseball all the way through high school.

I wasn't good at baseball, but still, I thought to myself, "Someday, I want to stand on that stage too."

However, the path I moved forward on wasn't baseball, but pro wrestling.

In high school, I encountered pro wrestling, became completely obsessed with it, and became a professional wrestler. I kept fighting inside the ring, and before I knew it, I fought through a 26-year career, and today I serve as the President of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Life is truly a fascinating thing, isn't it? I couldn't become a professional baseball player. Yet, by becoming a pro wrestler, I was able to stand in a professional baseball stadium and even throw a ball from a mound the pros use.

Every time I stand on the mound for a ceremonial first pitch like this, I think to myself:

"Young Tanahashi... You couldn't become a pro baseball player, but you made it onto a professional mound!"

Dreams don't necessarily come true in the exact shape you pictured. However, the days you spent completely absorbed and giving your absolute all are surely connected to somewhere.

The stamina honed through baseball, the foundational knowledge of weight training taught in high school, the nutritional science of meals—every bit of it turned out to be useful.

And as for the pitch speed of yesterday's ceremonial first pitch...

69 km/h!!!

Choosing to be a pro wrestler was definitely the right answer (laughs).

That's why right now, I want to tell everyone who is in the middle of chasing their dreams: even if the path differs from what you envisioned, it's going to be okay. The days you lived with all your heart lead to somewhere.

Young Tanahashi.

Look, you properly made it to the place of your dreams after all, didn't you?

*Photo courtesy of Rakuten Baseball, Inc.