A Japanese city administration has come under fire on social media for displaying the youth baseball gloves donated by Shohei Ohtani in its headquarters rather than distributing them to elementary school students, as Ohtani had requested.

During a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano of the southwestern Japanese city of Beppu expressed his desire to “make citizens and children happy” by showcasing the gifts from the major league player.

The city government has reduced the gloves’ display period in response to the criticism and will send them to city schools on Friday.

Upon arrival at the office on January 17, the Los Angeles Dodgers player placed the gloves in a glass case along with a handwritten letter.

Ohtani expressed his wish that children would enjoy playing baseball by donating 60,000 gloves to over 20,000 schools in Japan in November through his Instagram account. He also promised to gift gloves to every primary school in the country.

Until they were prepared to distribute them to schools, some municipalities kept the gloves on display in their offices.

Ohtani has partnered with the glove manufacturer, who has promised to provide three pairs—two pairs for right-handers and one pair for left-handers—to each school between the months of December and March.

 

Shohei Ohtani’s donated gloves were displayed in Japan, however they were not given to children as gifts

A Japanese city administration has come under fire on social media for displaying the youth baseball gloves donated by Shohei Ohtani in its headquarters rather than distributing them to elementary school students, as Ohtani had requested.

Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano of the southern Japanese city of Beppu stated at a news conference on Wednesday that he “wаnted to make citizens and children happy” by showcasing the gifts from the major league great.

In light of the feedback, the city council has decided to hand out the gloves to local schools on Friday and shorten the duration of their display.

The Los Angeles Dodgers player had personally delivered the gloves on January 17 and had them placed in a glass case with a note.

Ohtani expressed his wish that children would enjoy playing baseball by donating 60,000 gloves to over 20,000 schools in Japan in November through his Instagram account. He also promised to gift gloves to every primary school in the country.

Until they were prepared to distribute them to schools, some municipalities kept the gloves on display in their offices.

The glove manufacturer, with whom Ohtani has inked a contract, has stated that from December to March, each school will receive three pairs of gloves, two for right-handers and one for left-handers.