*This content was translated by AI.
After allowing a painful home run at a crucial moment in a fierce standings battle, Takada (24), the Japanese pitcher for Doosan Bears, ultimately bowed his head and made an earnest appeal via social media. While he is willing to accept criticism of his performance, he pleaded with fans to stop the excessive online abuse and threats directed at his family.
Takada posted a lengthy personal statement in both Korean and Japanese on his social media (SNS) story after finishing a matchup against NC Dinos at Jamsil Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 12th.
He said, "I am sorry for not showing a good performance today," bowing his head to express his apology. He continued, "I will accept criticism of myself. However, I kindly ask that you refrain from comments that insult or threaten my family. Thank you once again." Finally, he added, "I will strive even harder to do better," expressing his determination to bounce back in the future.
The day's match was an unavoidable showdown between Doosan, fighting to hold onto fifth place, and NC, which is aggressively chasing from sixth place. Takada entered as the third pitcher for Doosan in the top of the 6th inning but failed to halt NC's offensive momentum. In particular, he allowed a two-run home run to Kwon Hee-dong with one out and a runner on first base, struggling over three batters by allowing ⅓ inning, 2 hits (including 1 home run), and 2 earned runs.
After the game, fans' disappointment and criticism were directed straight at the player. Takada's SNS feed shows that what began as criticism of the player escalated into indiscriminate personal attacks and threatening messages endangering his family's safety. Ultimately, Takada felt compelled to post a message himself, requesting restraint to protect his family.
It is difficult for athletes who fail to meet expectations at critical moments on the professional sports stage to avoid blame and criticism. However, targeting family members unrelated to the game with insults and threats goes beyond the bounds of legitimate criticism and constitutes clear harassment. As the broader sports community emphasizes strict measures against excessive online abusers, calls for a more mature culture of support are growing louder once again.
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*This content was translated by AI.
