AK-69 Shocks Elderly OBs at Tanishige’s Party

A prestigious lineup, including Sadaharu Oh, gathered.

After a successful career as a regular catcher for Yokohama (now DeNA) and Chunichi, followed by his tenure as manager of Chunichi, Mr. Tanishige Taniguchi (53) had a “Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Party” held in Yokohama on December 3.

The party, held at a historic hotel, saw about 300 attendees, including notable figures such as SoftBank’s chairman, Mr. Sadaharu Oh (84), and DeNA’s manager, Mr. Daisuke Miura (50). However, it seems that the event became somewhat chaotic.

“The party was held in a standing buffet format. The emcees, Fuji TV announcers Mitsuhiro Nakamura (40) and Minami Sakuma (27), hosted the event. Messages of congratulations were delivered by Mr. Akihiko Oya (76), the manager when Tanishige first joined, and Ms. Tomoko Nanba (62), the owner of the DeNA team. The event proceeded in a cheerful mood, with the president of a supporting company surprising Mr. Tanishige with a high-end watch. The current players from the Central League teams joked that it’s too crowded; it’s a struggle just to get a drink. Despite the crowd, everyone seemed to be enjoying the event” (a reporter who covered the event). 

Once the speeches and toasts were finished, the athletes, hungry for food, rushed to the hors d’oeuvres.

“In the dining area, veteran players like former Hiroshima player Mr. Tomonori Maeda (53) and former Chunichi hitting coach Mr. Kazuhiro Wada (52) were casually chatting while quickly munching on small sandwiches. With very few places to sit, the current players seemed unsure of how to pass the time, complaining, ‘I’m starting to feel sick from the crowd’ and ‘It’s so hot.’

Some players pretended to make phone calls just to sneak outside and retreat to the smoking area. Some of the 1998 BayStars’ championship team, including Mr. Masahiro Sasaki (56), Mr. Takahiro Saeki (54), and Giants’ third-team manager Mr. Tokuhiro Komada (62), quickly left the venue after the toast” (same source). 

At annual Hall of Fame induction parties, there is usually a talk show with those connected to the inductee, but this time, at Mr. Tanishige’s request, the event featured casual conversations. The remaining OBs and current players chatted about old times. The impressive lineup created an overwhelming atmosphere, and the reporter felt nearly swept up by the energy.

Then, suddenly, an incident occurred.

The elderly OBs overwhelmed by the deep bass

“Yeeeeeaaaaah!!!”

Amid the bustling crowd, the person who appeared on stage in high spirits was Mr. Tanishige Taniguchi’s talent agency representative and hip-hop MC, AK-69.

“With the deep bass reverberating through the venue, AK-69 performed two songs to celebrate Mr. Tanishige. Participants who seemed to be from the same industry swayed to the rhythm, fully enjoying the performance. However, since a hip-hop live performance suddenly began in the middle of a baseball player’s celebration, the attendees were bewildered.

The hall echoed with chants of ‘Tanishige! Tanishige!’ led by AK-69 and his entourage. Current players could only watch the performance with a wry smile, while senior figures in the baseball world, such as Mr. Oya and Mr. Masatsugu Hiramatsu (77), grimaced and said, ‘It’s so loud, let’s leave,’ and ‘What’s hip-hop? I know it’s Shige’s hobby.

Even though these were big figures in the baseball world, they were elderly, and AK-69’s performance was just too much for them. It was unfortunate that the legends, who had paid 10,000 yen to attend the party in support of their beloved junior, were unexpectedly subjected to a loud live performance at the party. (laughs)” (A participant)

In the end, only a few baseball figures remained at the party, which lasted around two hours. The chaotic Tanishige Taniguchi’s Party seemed to be unpopular among baseball people.