Asian Baseball History and Culture is Our Passion
Posts
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Join Mike Clair on SABR Asian Baseball’s Zoom Chat, April 13 at 8:30p.m. EST
On April 13 at 830 pm EST MLB.com writer and author of the new book We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball will join the SABR Asian Baseball Committee to chat about the WBC and his new book, followed by Q&A. All are welcome.
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How to Follow Asian Professional Baseball
So how can English speakers follow Asian baseball? There are now numerous ways to track professional baseball in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan even if you don’t read the native languages. Let’s look at each country in turn.
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Kenichi Zenimura, ‘The Father of Japanese American Baseball,’ and the 1924, 1927, and 1937 Goodwill Tours
Every Tuesday morning we will post an article from SABR’s award-winning books Nichibei Yakyu: Volumes I and II. Each will present a different chapter in the long history of US-Japan baseball relations. This week Bill Staples, Jr. tell us about one of the most important Japanese American baseball players–Kenichi Zenimura and three of the tours he organized.
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The Diamond Stage: Herb Hunter’s 1922 Tour of Japan
Every Tuesday morning we will post an article from SABR’s award-winning books Nichibei Yakyu: Volumes I and II. Each will present a different chapter in the long history of US-Japan baseball relations. This week Adam Berenbak tells us about the 1922 MLB tour led by Herb Hunter.
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Behind-the-scenes look at how Dodgers became a hotbed for Japanese talent
A great article on MLB.com by Michael St. Clair on the history of the Dodgers ties to Japan which features SABR president Dan Evans.
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Rob Fitts Zoom Presentation, In the Japanese Ballpark: Behind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball, November 5 at 7 pm
The Clyde Sukeforth Chapter (ME/NH) in conjunction with the Gardner-Waterman Chapter (VT) offers a special presentation with SABR Member Rob Fitts in a Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 7 PM Eastern, 4 PM Pacific. All baseball fans are welcome! Fitts will talk about his new book and provide an introduction to Japanese…
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The Uniform of Youth: The Baseball Jacket
by Taein Chun It’s been over 40 years since professional baseball took root in Korea. It’s now gone beyond being just a sport and has deeply permeated Korean daily life and culture. Traces of baseball can be found not only in the cheers and songs at the stadium but also in everyday scenes outside the…
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1921 Vancouver Asahi’s Tour to Japan
by Satoshi Matsumiya and Yobun Shima Every Tuesday morning we will post an article from SABR’s award-winning books Nichibei Yakyu: Volumes I and II. Each will present a different chapter in the long history of US-Japan baseball relations. This week Satoshi Matsumiya and Yobun Shima focus on the 1921 tour of Japan by the Vancouver Asahi.
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Baseball returns to a Japanese American detention camp after a historic ball field was restored.
A good article on baseball at Manzanar from The Conversation
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New film explores how Japan and the U.S. found common ground through baseball
Congratulation to Yuriko Romer for this great review of her film Diamond Diplomacy in the Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/10/16/baseball/baseball-film-yuriko-gamo-romer-japan-usa/
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Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Hiroshima Carp’s First Pennant: Gail Hopkins Remembers the Clincher
On October 15, 1975, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp arrived in Tokyo to play the Yomiuri Giants needing a win to clinch the Central League pennant. In the Carp’s 25-year history, they had never finished above third place. Carp first baseman Gail Hopkins remembers:
SABR Asian Baseball Research Committee Blog 