Asian American MLB managers achieve historic first in pro sports history
By Ryan General
Two Asian American managers made history in Major League Baseball during a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sept. 29.
Historic moment: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and acting Giants skipper Kai Correa became the first managers or head coaches of Asian descent to face each other in any of the four major U.S. sports leagues: the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL.
Roberts and Correa posed for a photo as they exchanged lineup cards before the match, taking a moment to acknowledge the historical significance of their meeting. The Dodgers won the game 6-2, setting the stage for a rematch the following day, which the Giants won 2-1.
Representing shared backgrounds: Correa, who hails from Hawaii and is of Portuguese and Japanese heritage, stepped in as a replacement for Gabe Kapler following the announcement of the latter’s dismissal as manager on Sept. 29.
“I just thanked him for representing our shared background and creating opportunities for folks who look like me, have that heritage,” Correa expressed his gratitude for Roberts via KNBR. “Just an appreciation for him taking the time to come out for the lineup for that specific reason. It meant a lot to me.”
On blazing trails: Roberts, who has a Japanese mother and African American father, has managed the Dodgers since 2016. He himself previously made history as the first manager of Asian heritage to lead a team to the World Series in 2017 and then win it in 2020, also becoming the first African American manager to achieve this feat since 1993.
In an interview with SportsNet LA, Roberts emphasized the importance of their meeting for people who share their heritage.
“As an Asian American, to be able to exchange lineup cards with Kai, I’m proud of him, and what he’s done and what he’s doing. Got a lot of respect for him. It’s good for the game in the sense that someone that didn’t play professional baseball, big league baseball, has reached the heights that he has. And it’s good for people that look like us. He’s blazing trails too.”
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