Former Yomiuri Giants manager Shigeo Nagashima, who is on a long road to recovery from a stroke suffered almost two years ago, greeted and talked to baseball fans in his first public appearance since last summer on Sunday.
Former Yomiuri Giants manager Shigeo Nagashima talks to baseball fans at an exchange event called "Nagashima Japan Dream Project 2006" at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum.
At the exchange event called, "Nagashima Japan Dream Project 2006," with participants from the bronze-medal winning Athens Olympics team in attendance, Nagashima shook hands with fans and gave a pep talk to elementary school children at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo.
Nagashima, popularly known as "Mr. Baseball," appeared in front of fans for the first time since a game between the Yomiuri Giants and Hiroshima Carp at Tokyo Dome on July 3 last year. On Sunday, he actually spoke in public for the first time since he had to be hospitalized in an emergency from a stroke suffered in March 2004.
"Everyone do your best, OK," Nagashima told his fans. "Please everyone let's enjoy the game of baseball."
Appearing with a cane and his disabled right hand sunk down in his pants pocket, Nagashima walked much better than in his last appearance in July and received a hardy applause from about 1,900 people who were invited to the event.