Tsuyoshi Shinjo showed up for his first news conference as Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager in November 2021 wearing sunglasses, a gaudy red suit and a white shirt with an impossibly large popped collar. He said he wanted to be called “Big Boss” instead of “manager,” a stance he later doubled down on by changing his registered name in NPB to “BIGBOSS,” which he wore on his uniform.
That was the beginning of a yearlong spectacle. After arriving on a hovercraft before the team’s home opener in 2022, Shinjo remained the center of attention for most of the season. He preened, the fans fawned and the cameras rolled. If his goal was to take the spotlight and pressure off his mostly young players, then it worked. Shinjo was the star, and it almost did not matter that the team finished in last place.
But Shinjo gave a lot of players valuable experience, even shoving some out of their comfort zones. While the Fighters finished last again in 2023, they at least looked like they were building something.
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