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Morimoto Throws Out Tonight’s First Pitch at Citizens Bank Park

Morimoto butchering a whle tuna at last year's Japan Disaster Relief benefit
Morimoto butchering a whle tuna at last year’s Japan Disaster Relief benefit Photo: Collin Keefe

Long before he was an international sushi superstar, Masaharu Morimoto was a promising young baseball player in his native Japan. Then an injury sidelined his big league aspirations. And thank goodness. Can you imagine what the world would be like had he never learned to cut fish? Tonight he’s returning to the mound to throw out the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park where the Phillies will face the Mets. It’s part of the ballpark’s Asian-Pacific Celebration. It’s also a result of last year’s Morimoto For Japan fundraiser, where one of the items auctioned off to raise money for the Japan Disaster Relief Fund was lunch with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who also played baseball in Japan, hence the “Cholly-San” nickname and t-shirts. The two hit it off, and Manuel egged Morimoto on to pitch tonight’s first ball. We’re hoping he brings along his karaoke a-game and leads a spirited sing-along at McFadden’s after the ballgame.

Related: Morimoto Gets Into the Groove

Morimoto Throws Out Tonight’s First Pitch at Citizens Bank Park