Former Mets and Giants outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo was something of a cult favorite for his flamboyant style during his brief MLB career -- and, in case you were wondering, he's still got it.
Now the manager of NPB's Nippon Ham Fighters, Shinjo turned heads on social media on Friday, when he made a hilarious, WWE-style entrance upon being introduced for his team's season-opener -- on the road, no less.
The 50-year-old Shinjo took the field from a smoke-filled tunnel, rocking 1980s-style full-face mirror sunglasses and clad in a blinking jersey with the words "BIG BOSS" emblazoned across. He also sported his trademark turtleneck, and compression sleeves and at least a couple wrist bands on each of his arms, all hallmarks from his playing days.
The stunt was a hit with players from both Shinjo's Ham Fighters team as well as the host Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, who could be seen smiling and laughing during the hilarious display of showmanship.
Later, Shinjo was the batter for the ceremonial first pitch from a Japanese news presenter. Rather than tee off on the high-arcing rainbow, he took a decidedly different and sweet route:
The scenes went over well on social media, where MLB fans, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Opening Day on April 7, enjoyed the glimpse at the pageantry of the start of a new season -- even if the stateside versions can be expected to be comparatively muted.
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