Curveballs

Nobody knew she spoke perfect Japanese—certainly not the Dodgers' front office.

When he joined the team, she knew it was time to reveal her hidden gift. Perched behind home plate, with her excellent posture and trademark smile, she would lean forward during his at-bats, and in perfect Japanese, let him know whenever a curveball was coming.

“Kābubōru ga kuru!” she’d say.

She was born curvy, you see, and somewhere along the way, the universe decided to reward her curves with a special sensitivity to all things... curving.

He never questioned it—he just tipped his cap to her after every homer off a curveball.