Decoy Ohtani

Decoy Ohtani
Decoy's United States visa photograph
Other name(s)Dekopin Ohtani
SpeciesDog
BreedKooikerhondje
OwnerShohei Ohtani

Decoy Ohtani (born June 18, 2023),[1] known in Japanese as Dekopin (デコピン), is a Kooikerhondje owned by Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani. He is a fixture in the Los Angeles Dodgers fandom, and has been described as the team's "Most Valuable Pet".[2] He has also featured in merchandise and was granted an honorary visa by the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo.

Biography

Shohei Ohtani held Decoy in his lap when he won his second Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player award in November 2023. Upon winning, Ohtani gave the dog a high five, and he became viral among fans.[3] The next month, Shohei Ohtani publicly revealed the dog's name, Dekopin,[4] which is a Japanese term referring to the act of flicking a person on the forehead. He also clarified that Dekopin's name in English is Decoy, which was chosen because he believed that some Americans might struggle to pronounce the Japanese name.[5]

In January 2024, Shohei and Decoy visited the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, where Decoy was granted an honorary travel visa by Rahm Emanuel.[6][7][8] In August 2024, Decoy threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodger Stadium.[9][10][11] To celebrate the event, the Dodgers held a giveaway of bobblehead toys depicting Shohei with Decoy.[12][13][14] Decoy would go on to appear at the Dodgers' victory parade in November 2024 where he interacted with young fans.[15] That month, he also appeared in a video alongside Mamiko Tanaka celebrating Shohei Ohtani's third Most Valuable Player award.[16] In December 2024, Decoy met with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and posed with him for photographs.[17]

Ohtani's $7.85 million home purchase was conducted through an LLC named "Decopin," a tribute to his pet dog.[18][19][20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "「可愛すぎて癒された」大谷翔平がストーリーズで"デコピンの１歳の誕生日"を祝福「久しぶりに見れてうれしい」とファン歓喜". THE DIGEST (in Japanese). Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  2. ^ "Meet Decoy Ohtani, perhaps the most valuable pet of the World Series". AP News. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  3. ^ Andres, Patrick (November 17, 2023). "Shohei Ohtani's Dog Stole the Show During MLB's MVP Ceremony". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Finally Reveals the Name of His Beloved Dog". WRBL. December 14, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  5. ^ "Baseball: New Dodger Shohei Ohtani flicks the script with unusual dog name". Kyodo News+. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  6. ^ "Shohei Ohtani visits US Embassy in Japan and his dog gets mock visa". AP News. January 11, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  7. ^ "Shohei Ohtani's Dog 'Decoy' Receives Joke Visa from U.S. Embassy in Japan: Passport Number '000MVPUP000'". People.com. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Prillaman, Jennifer (March 1, 2024). "Baseball star's dog "visa" goes viral". State Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "Shohei Ohtani and His Dog, Decoy, Steal the Show at Dodger Stadium". DiversityComm. August 29, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  10. ^ Bowman, Emma (August 29, 2024). "Shohei Ohtani's dog 'throws out' 1st pitch at Dodgers game". NPR.
  11. ^ Baek, Susan (August 29, 2024). "Shohei Ohtani's dog Decoy throws perfect first pitch at Dodgers game". NBC News. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  12. ^ "Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy, featured on superstar's 2nd bobblehead giveaway". AP News. June 20, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Got your ticket for bobblehead night? Check. Get the bobblehead? Not so fast". Los Angeles Times. August 27, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  14. ^ "Ohtani, dog share spotlight on bobblehead night". ESPN.com. August 29, 2024. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  15. ^ Ronald, Issy (November 2, 2024). "Shohei Ohtani, and his dog, steal the show at Los Angeles Dodgers victory parade". CNN. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Henderson, Cydney. "Shohei Ohtani's wife and dog Decoy have priceless reaction to slugger winning MVP award". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Das, Sagarika (December 24, 2024). "Shohei Ohtani Meets Internationally Acclaimed Chef With His Pet Decoy Amid a Record-Tying Achievement". EssentiallySports. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  18. ^ Rosenthal, Ken. "The insular relationships that protected Shohei Ohtani — until they didn't". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  19. ^ "Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani buys La Cañada Flintridge mansion from Adam Carolla for $7.85 million". Los Angeles Times. May 22, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  20. ^ "Decopin LLC Los Angeles, CA - filing information". www.bizprofile.net. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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