Honoring a baseball legend and cheering on newcomers

Today, and April 5th annually, is Debut Day デビューの日 in Japan. It marks one of the most dramatic and iconic first appearances, "debuts", in Japanese sports history. On this day in 1958 the baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima made his professional debut with the Yomiuri Giants. 

His debut became instantly famous, not because he succeeded, but because he struck out four times in a row against the powerhouse pitcher Masaichi Kaneda. Despite the rough start Nagashima went on to become a national icon and one of the most famous and most revered baseball players of all time in Japan. 

Because of his story, April 5th is now seen as a day to cheer on newcomers; a reminder that even legends begin with uncertain first steps.