As Kosuke Fukudome stepped up to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning in his Major League debut, the Chicago Cubs were down 3-0 to division rival Milwaukee Brewers.

The stage was set for Kosuke to make his name. Derrek Lee and Aramis Rameriz where on second and first base. Eric Gagne was pitching to save the game and give the Brewers their first victory of the year. Kosuke Fukudome had already gathered a single and double as well as a walk in the game. He had done more than many expected after a tough spring training. As Fukudome walked up to the plate with 2 on in the bottom of the ninth, Cubs fans began to chant: “FUKUDOME!”

Kosuke Fukudome took the first pitch for ball one. The count was now 1-0, with any chance of a Cubs comeback on the line. The next pitch Fukudome fouled off for strike one, 1-1. The next pitch ended in a way that couldnt be written any better. Kosuke Fukudome got a pitch waist high, over the heart of the plate. Gone! Kosuke Fukudome hit his first career home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in his first Major League game. Kosuke Fukudome became a hero overnight, and as the ESPN commentator said:

“A star is born!”

The right field fans, who once praised and bowwed at Sammy Sosa’s knees, had found a new love. Fans filled the right field bleachers with signs, hats, and more in Japanese and English, praising their love for the Cubs new right fielder, Kosuke Fukudome.

Although in the end the Cubs could not pull out the W, dropping the game 4-3 in 10 innings, Kosuke Fukudome became a Cubs hero overnight, and promise for the future.

Following a spring training full of questions, Kosuke Fukudome finished game one with no questions to be asked. Kosuke Fukudome went 3-3 with a game tying home run in the bottom of the 9th inning against Eric Gagne. Kosuke also had a single, double, and walked once.

On a day the rest of the Chicago Cubs struggled, zero hits through the first 8 innings, Kosuke Fukudome shined. During spring training he hit under .225, which received many questions from fans and reporters about his true abilities, but on opening day, Kosuke Fukudome has silenced also those questions.

Kosuke Fukudome’s performance stood out on a gloomy, depressing opening day for the Cubbies. The game was delayed twice: first to start of the game, and again during the game. Kosuke Fukudome was by far the Chicago Cubs opening day player of the game.