Shohei Ohtani's performance on Thursday made history -- and a small part of it will now be enshrined forever in Cooperstown, New York.
Not only did Ohtani achieve a remarkable benchmark -- becoming the first player in league history to amass 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season -- he did so as part of a mammoth single-game performance. His final stat line from his history-making outing includes 6 hits, 3 home runs, 2 stolen bases and a remarkable 10 RBIs.
Ohtani's style met the special moment as well. The Los Angeles Dodgers star rocked his signature New Balance shoe, but with a custom-designed twist: art featuring his dog, Decoy.
The custom cleats are now on the move, though. The unique kicks will take up residence at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to commemorate Ohtani's achievement.
Shohei Ohtani's 50/50 game cleats, custom @newbalance Ohtani 1s featuring his dog Decoy, have been authenticated to be sent to the Hall of Fame 🐐
— Sole Retriever (@SoleRetriever) September 20, 2024
📹 @MLB pic.twitter.com/iWITIEF9Ay
It's not the first time that Decoy has shared the limelight of a major moment with his owner. Back in December, when Ohtani was on the move during free agency, it was theorized that Decoy's name was actually "Dodger" -- hinting at Ohtani's eventual move to Los Angeles.