Ben Lindbergh talks to Portia, proprietor of super-popular Shohei Ohtani fan account @shoheisaveus, about her Ohtani superfan origin story, life as a self-described “Shobae,” Ohtani’s popularity compared to other athletes and celebrities, following Ohtani from 15 time zones away, stanning a private person, the many mysteries of Ohtani, where the Shobaes would prefer for Ohtani to sign, and more. Then (1:09:03) Ben brings on baseball researcher and writer Sam Gazdziak of RIP Baseball to discuss monitoring baseball players’ passings, writing an obituary for every big leaguer, and finding and restoring baseball figures’ neglected gravesites.

Audio outro: Xavier LeBlanc, “Effectively Wild Theme”

Link to Rose tweets

Link to Portia’s Twitter account

Link to info on Ohtani Insta followers

Link to Ben’s article on Portia

Link to Ohtani’s first MLB hit

Link to Smith on Ohtani

Link to “Fletchtani” tweet

Link to Ohtani-Sandoval video

Link to Equinox photo

Link to Ohtani’s beach trip

Link to Ohtani’s Hawaii trip

Link to Ohtani/Ippei Hawaii photo

Link to 2018 NHK doc

Link to 2021 NHK doc

Link to 2021 NHK doc (alt link)

Link to Ohtani’s dog

Link to Ohtani’s high school friends

Link to shirtless Shohei tweet

Link to recommended Twitter follow

Link to recommended Twitter follow 2

Link to recommended YouTube follow

Link to recommended YouTube follow 2

Link to recommended TikTok follow

Link to Ohtani’s “Despacito” video

Link to RIP Baseball

Link to Stenhouse obit

Link to Aaron obit

Link to Woods obit

Link to SABR Baseball Graves Map

Link to Baseball Player Passings group

Link to 19th Century Grave Marker Project

Link to Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project

Link to Green-Wood Cemetery article

Link to Cobb memorial

Link to Banks memorial

Link to “rigor mortis” quote

Link to John Glenn SABR bio

Link to Ed Williamson grave marker project

Link to B-Ref place of death index

Link to support Portia

Link to support Sam

Link to Secret Santa sign-up sheet

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