The Chicago Cubs' first World Series championship in 108 years was also a triumph for minor league infielder Munenori Kawasaki.
The 35-year-old Kawasaki joined Chicago, his first National League club on a minor league deal this year, but spent almost all of it at Triple-A Iowa, which proved to be a trial.
"There were difficulties, but it was interesting," he said of his season in Triple-A. "I wanted to play baseball. Being on those 15-hour bus rides, there were times when I was on the verge of wanting to return to Japan. It's a good thing I didn't go back."
Although not on the Cubs' postseason roster, the effervescent utility man traveled with the team and cheered them on from the bench. And because he stuck it out, Kawasaki was there in Cleveland, where the Cubs overcame a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7 in extra innings on Wednesday.
But while Kawasaki was jubilant, his brief time with the club (21 at-bats this season) ranks him far behind video coordinator Naoto Masamoto in service time.
The 37-year-old Masamoto has been preparing videos that individual players as well as the coaching staff can use for analysis since 2008.
"It's to help them go into every game in the same way," said Masamoto, who prior to working with video had been a member of the club's minor league training staff.
"I'm so glad that somehow I've been able to get this far."