In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Google revealed that Los Angeles Angels’ two-way player Shohei Ohtani is the most searched baseball pitcher of all time.
Once again, Google collaborated with Gold House, a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Asian and Pacific Islander business leaders and personalities, to launch the non-profits’s A100 list of the most influential AAPI talent.
This is just the latest nod for who many consider to be the second coming of Babe Ruth. Coming off his 2021 MLB American League MVP season, Ohtani made the list, along with other influential AAPI celebrities, including Olivia Rodrigo, Bowen Yang and Chloé Zhao.
Ohtani, a Japanese baseball phenom who can both throw over 100 miles per hour and hit home runs in the same inning, has drawn the fascination of both baseball fans and non-fans alike. Last year, MLB said Ohtani was the most searched player within its own highlight platform, MLB Film Room.
May is recognized as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, with Google and Gold House kicking off the list reveal with an accompanying video on YouTube.
Google also shared some insights on other Asian and Pacific Islander trailblazers, including Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee, who helped Hmong Americans reach record-high search interest when she hit all four of her routines to win a Gold medal.
The Korean produced Netflix series, “Squid Game,” was the top trending television show of 2021, while Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran peaked in search popularity after Season 2 of “Bridgerton.”
More notable is Google reporting a rise of interest in topics related to Asian and Pacific Islander culture. Search interest in Asian cuisine has doubled since 2008, with stinky tofu, Korean BBQ and Vietnamese iced coffee reaching all-time highs this year.
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