Decoy Ohtani
{{Short description|Dog owned by Shohei Ohtani}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Decoy Ohtani
| image = Decoy Ohtani visa photo.png
| caption = Decoy's United States visa photograph
| othername = Dekopin Ohtani
| species = Dog
| breed = Kooikerhondje
| owner = Shohei Ohtani
}}
Decoy Ohtani (born June 18, 2023),{{Cite web |title=「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 |url=https://thedigestweb.com/baseball/detail/id=81879 |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=THE DIGEST |language=ja}} known in Japanese as Dekopin ({{lang|ja|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".{{Cite web |date=2024-11-01 |title=Meet Decoy Ohtani, perhaps the most valuable pet of the World Series |url=https://apnews.com/article/decoy-shohei-ohtani-dog-dodgers-world-series-a14dfd0faae2aad9cfd557ebc89638f7 |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=AP News |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Andres |first=Patrick |date=2023-11-17 |title=Shohei Ohtani's Dog Stole the Show During MLB's MVP Ceremony |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/11/17/shohei-ohtani-dog-steals-show-mlb-mvp-ceremony |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Sports Illustrated |language=en-US}} The next month, Shohei Ohtani publicly revealed the dog's name, Dekopin,{{Cite web |date=2023-12-14 |title=Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Finally Reveals the Name of His Beloved Dog |url=https://www.wrbl.com/sports/sports-illustrated/376dcb93/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-finally-reveals-the-name-of-his-beloved-dog/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=WRBL |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Baseball: New Dodger Shohei Ohtani flicks the script with unusual dog name |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/12/db7d61a3aa63-baseball-new-dodger-ohtani-flicks-the-script-with-unusual-dog-name.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Kyodo News+}}
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.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-11 |title=Shohei Ohtani visits US Embassy in Japan and his dog gets mock visa |url=https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-japan-928e2c832fb76fc1bdc25a4983d504b7 |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Shohei Ohtani’s Dog ‘Decoy’ Receives Joke Visa from U.S. Embassy in Japan: Passport Number ‘000MVPUP000’ |url=https://people.com/shohei-ohtani-dog-decoy-receives-joke-visa-from-us-embassy-8425857 |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=People.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Prillaman |first=Jennifer |date=2024-03-01 |title=Baseball star’s dog "visa" goes viral |url=https://statemag.state.gov/2024/03/0324itn05/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=State Magazine |language=en-US}} In August 2024, Decoy threw the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodger Stadium.{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-08-29 |title=Shohei Ohtani and His Dog, Decoy, Steal the Show at Dodger Stadium |url=https://diversitycomm.net/diversitycomm/shohei-ohtani-and-his-dog-decoy-steal-the-show-at-dodger-stadium-watch-video/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=DiversityComm |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=Emma |date=August 29, 2024 |title=Shohei Ohtani's dog 'throws out' 1st pitch at Dodgers game |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/08/29/nx-s1-5094463/shohei-ohtani-dog-first-pitch-dodgers |website=NPR}}{{Cite web |last=Baek |first=Susan |date=2024-08-29 |title=Shohei Ohtani's dog Decoy throws perfect first pitch at Dodgers game |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/shohei-ohtanis-dog-decoy-throws-perfect-first-pitch-dodgers-game-rcna168806 |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=NBC News |language=en}} To celebrate the event, the Dodgers held a giveaway of bobblehead toys depicting Shohei with Decoy.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-20 |title=Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy, featured on superstar's 2nd bobblehead giveaway |url=https://apnews.com/article/shohei-ohtani-bobblehead-69aabd469c92b25f33031d8edead321a |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-08-27 |title=Got your ticket for bobblehead night? Check. Get the bobblehead? Not so fast |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-08-27/shohei-ohtani-bobblehead-night-tickets |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-08-29 |title=Ohtani, dog share spotlight on bobblehead night |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41034089/fans-line-dodger-stadium-bobblehead-ohtani-decoy |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}} Decoy would go on to appear at the Dodgers' victory parade in November 2024 where he interacted with young fans.{{Cite web |last=Ronald |first=Issy |date=2024-11-02 |title=Shohei Ohtani, and his dog, steal the show at Los Angeles Dodgers victory parade |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/02/sport/los-angeles-dodgers-victory-parade-shohei-ohtani-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=CNN |language=en}} That month, he also appeared in a video alongside Mamiko Tanaka celebrating Shohei Ohtani's third Most Valuable Player award.{{Cite web |last=Henderson |first=Cydney |title=Shohei Ohtani's wife and dog Decoy have priceless reaction to slugger winning MVP award |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/dodgers/2024/11/21/shohei-ohtani-dog-decoy-wife-mvp-award/76489893007/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} In December 2024, Decoy met with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and posed with him for photographs.{{Cite web |last=Das |first=Sagarika |date=2024-12-24 |title=Shohei Ohtani Meets Internationally Acclaimed Chef With His Pet Decoy Amid a Record-Tying Achievement |url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-shohei-ohtani-meets-internationally-acclaimed-chef-with-his-pet-decoy-amid-a-record-tying-achievement/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=EssentiallySports |language=en}}
Ohtani's $7.85 million home purchase was conducted through an LLC named "Decopin," a tribute to his pet dog.{{Cite news |last=Rosenthal |first=Ken |title=The insular relationships that protected Shohei Ohtani — until they didn’t |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5647582/2024/07/22/shohei-ohtani-ippei-mizuhara-nez-balelo-relationship-dodgers/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last4=Facebook |date=2024-05-22 |title=Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani buys La Cañada Flintridge mansion from Adam Carolla for $7.85 million |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-22/dodgers-star-shohei-ohtani-buys-la-canada-flintridge-mansion-for-7-85-million |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Decopin LLC Los Angeles, CA - filing information |url=https://www.bizprofile.net/ca/los-angeles/decopin-llc |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.bizprofile.net |language=en}}
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohtani, Decoy}}
Category:Individual dogs in Japan