Masanori Murakami
Encyclopedia
Masanori "Mashi" Murakami (村上 雅則, Murakami Masanori, born May 6, 1944 in Ōtsuki, Yamanashi
, Japan
) is a former pitcher
for the San Francisco Giants
.
He is notable for being the first Japanese player ever to play for a Major League
team. Sent over to the United States
by the Nankai Hawks, Murakami saw success as a reliever for the Giants, debuting at the age of 20 in . In , he struck out over one batter per inning pitched, posted an ERA
under 4 and earned eight saves. Following this season, however, Murakami headed back to his original Japanese club due to contractual obligations, where he continued his success for another 17 years.
professional team, the Nankai Hawks, in September , while still attending high school. In 1964, his team sent him, along with two other young players, to the San Francisco Giants single-A
team Fresno
as a baseball "exchange student". He was originally only scheduled to stay in the United States until June, but the Hawks neglected to call him back to Japan, and he stayed with the Giants for the rest of the season. In August of the same year, he was promoted to the majors, and on September 1, 1964, he became the first Japanese player to play in the major leagues. Murakami pitched extremely well as a reliever, and because of it, the Giants refused the Hawks' order to return him to Japan. The argument escalated during the 1964 off-season, and the Japanese baseball commissioner was called in to make the final decision on which team Murakami would play with. The commissioner made a compromise; Murakami would return to the Hawks after he had played for another full season with the Giants. He wore number 10 with the San Francisco Giants.
Murakami returned to the Hawks in , but failed to live up to the team's high expectations. He proved himself by winning 18 games in , and contributed to the team's league championship in , but was traded to the Hanshin Tigers
in the off-season. He did not pitch well, and the Tigers released him after one year, but the Nippon Ham Fighters picked him up. He made a comeback in , winning 12 games, and contributing to the team's team's league championship in . Murakami retired in , but returned to the San Francisco Giants spring camp
in . He was not signed as a player, but became a batting practice pitcher for Giants' home games.
He worked as a commentator from to , and became a minor league pitching coach for the Nippon Ham Fighters from to . He also served as a pitching coach for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
and Seibu Lions. He also briefly worked as a scout
for the San Francisco Giants, and is now a commentator for NHK
major league baseball games, and writes for the Daily Sports newspaper.
In , Murakami was presented with the Foreign Minister's Certificate of Commendation in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Japan-US relationship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Murakami was honored by the San Francisco Giants
at AT&T Park
on Friday, May 16, 2008, when a limited edition Murakami bobblehead was given away at the evening game against the Chicago White Sox
as part of the team's "Japanese Heritage Night" promotion.
was only in the low to mid 80 mph range, even during his prime. His best pitch was a sharp screwball
, which he learned in the majors, and he also threw a good changeup
and curve
. He was a valuable reliever
, being a left-hander throwing from the sidearm. His total record in two years in the majors was 5–1, 9 saves, with a 3.43 ERA in 54 games.
(where the San Francisco Giants
were playing), and was given his plane ticket on the spot. In New York, he signed a major league contract even though he could not read a single word written on the contract.
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) is a former pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
He is notable for being the first Japanese player ever to play for a Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team. Sent over to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by the Nankai Hawks, Murakami saw success as a reliever for the Giants, debuting at the age of 20 in . In , he struck out over one batter per inning pitched, posted an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
under 4 and earned eight saves. Following this season, however, Murakami headed back to his original Japanese club due to contractual obligations, where he continued his success for another 17 years.
Biography
Murakami entered the Japanese Pacific LeaguePacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
professional team, the Nankai Hawks, in September , while still attending high school. In 1964, his team sent him, along with two other young players, to the San Francisco Giants single-A
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
as a baseball "exchange student". He was originally only scheduled to stay in the United States until June, but the Hawks neglected to call him back to Japan, and he stayed with the Giants for the rest of the season. In August of the same year, he was promoted to the majors, and on September 1, 1964, he became the first Japanese player to play in the major leagues. Murakami pitched extremely well as a reliever, and because of it, the Giants refused the Hawks' order to return him to Japan. The argument escalated during the 1964 off-season, and the Japanese baseball commissioner was called in to make the final decision on which team Murakami would play with. The commissioner made a compromise; Murakami would return to the Hawks after he had played for another full season with the Giants. He wore number 10 with the San Francisco Giants.
Murakami returned to the Hawks in , but failed to live up to the team's high expectations. He proved himself by winning 18 games in , and contributed to the team's league championship in , but was traded to the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
in the off-season. He did not pitch well, and the Tigers released him after one year, but the Nippon Ham Fighters picked him up. He made a comeback in , winning 12 games, and contributing to the team's team's league championship in . Murakami retired in , but returned to the San Francisco Giants spring camp
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in . He was not signed as a player, but became a batting practice pitcher for Giants' home games.
He worked as a commentator from to , and became a minor league pitching coach for the Nippon Ham Fighters from to . He also served as a pitching coach for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
and Seibu Lions. He also briefly worked as a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the San Francisco Giants, and is now a commentator for NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
major league baseball games, and writes for the Daily Sports newspaper.
In , Murakami was presented with the Foreign Minister's Certificate of Commendation in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Japan-US relationship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Murakami was honored by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
at AT&T Park
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
on Friday, May 16, 2008, when a limited edition Murakami bobblehead was given away at the evening game against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
as part of the team's "Japanese Heritage Night" promotion.
Pitching style
Murakami was not an overpowering pitcher. His fastballFastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
was only in the low to mid 80 mph range, even during his prime. His best pitch was a sharp screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
, which he learned in the majors, and he also threw a good changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
and curve
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
. He was a valuable reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
, being a left-hander throwing from the sidearm. His total record in two years in the majors was 5–1, 9 saves, with a 3.43 ERA in 54 games.
Language skills
He could barely speak or understand English when he first came to the United States, and always had a dictionary on hand to communicate with teammates. When promoted to the majors, he was told to go to New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(where the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
were playing), and was given his plane ticket on the spot. In New York, he signed a major league contract even though he could not read a single word written on the contract.
External links
- "Where have you gone, Masanori Murakami?", Alexander Kleinberg, MLB.com, 24 December 2001, via the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.