Oyama Named 2022 Tommy Watanabe Award Winner

It’s things like his Mickey Mouse luggage bag that he brings on every road trip. 

The smile and thumbs-up when asked to pose for a photo while crossing the border late in the evening at the end of a six-game road trip.

Picking up AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington’s just-over-a-year-old son, Dash, and carrying him back to his dad.

The tip of his helmet to the home-plate umpire before every plate appearance. 

All of these are part of the charm that is Joichiro Oyama. His love of the game and the smile that he brings to the field every day are why he is the 2022 Tommy Watanabe Award winner.

“You can’t bring up Jo’s name without smiling because he always is,” AppleSox general manager Allie Schank said. “He always is in a good mood whether he had a great day at the plate or an off night by his standards."

The AppleSox infielder has become a fan favorite with his charm and his old-fashioned style of playing. Oyama bunts, hits to the opposite field and steals bases. Listen to the crowd during a game and you’ll hear the crowd chanting “Jo-ichi-ro!” or saying “make it so, Jo!”

He has already written himself into the AppleSox’ history books by becoming the team’s single-season stolen bases leader with four bags shipped on July 10 against Nanaimo to give him 26 for the season, surpassing the previous mark of 23 set in 2003 by Brent Wyatt. 

Stolen bases aren’t the only record that Oyama may break this season. He enters Thursday night’s game four runs away from tying the WCL single-season record of 47.

His play speaks for itself but it’s the effect that he has on his teammates that makes him so deserving of this award. He always hustles and that was especially evident when he charged and helped make a tough play to help record the final out of the AppleSox’ win on Wednesday, July 20. Pitcher Jake Putnam was so excited that Oyama got to a slow rolling ball that hit off his glove that Putnam picked up Oyama and bear-hugged him on the pitcher’s mound as the team celebrated.

“Joichiro is the true definition of what it means to be a great teammate,” head coach Mitch Darlington said. “Jo brings an infectious joy for the game and his teammates everyday that he comes to the park. He plays the game with a fierce competitiveness, a sharp focus, all with a smile on his face. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to coach such a great human being as Joichiro Oyama.” 

Oyama is the fourth recipient of the Tommy Watanabe Award, created in 2019 in honor of former AppleSox player Tommy Watanabe, who passed away in 2017. Oyama joins Michael O’Hara in 2021, Johnny Sage in 2019, Jacob Prater in 2018 as winners of the award. 

To learn more about Tommy Watanabe and the Award, please visit applesox.com/tommy-watanabe-award