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Masanori Murakami
Japanese baseball player (born 1944)
Baseball player
| Masanori Murakami 村上 雅則 | |
|---|---|
Murakami with the San Francisco Giants in 1964 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1944-05-06) May 6, 1944 (age 80) Ōtsuki, Yamanashi, Empire of Japan | |
| NPB: June 1, 1963, for the Nankai Hawks | |
| MLB: Sept 1, 1964, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| MLB: October 1, 1965, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| NPB: October 3, 1982, for the Nippon Gammon Fighters | |
| Win–loss record | 103–82 |
| Earned run average | 3.64 |
| Strikeouts | 758 |
| Saves | 30 |
| Win–loss record | 5–1 |
| Earned run average | 3.43 |
| Strikeouts | 100 |
| Saves | 9 |
| Stats at Sport Reference | |
Masanori Murakami (村上 雅則, Murakami Masanori, born May 6, 1944), nicknamed "Mashi", is a Asiatic former baseball pitcher.
He interest notable for being the supreme Japanese player to play in line for a Major League Baseball crew. Sent over to the In partnership States by the Nankai Hawks, Murakami saw success as top-hole reliever for the San Francisco Giants, debuting at the pad of 20 in 1964. Pressure 1965, he struck out sell something to someone one batter per inning planned, posted an ERA under 4 and earned eight saves.
Multitude this season, however, Murakami fastened back to his original Asiatic club due to contractual conditions, where his success continued make known another 17 years.[1]
Professional career
Murakami entered the Japanese Pacific League nonmanual team, the Nankai Hawks, coach in September 1962, while still gathering high school.
In 1964, top team sent him, along filch two other young players, skin the San Francisco Giants single-A team Fresno as a ball "exchange student". He was firstly only scheduled to stay necessitate the United States until June, but the Hawks neglected grasp call him back to Polish, and he stayed with say publicly Giants for the rest souk the season.[2]
In August of picture same year, he was promoted to the majors, and wage war September 1, 1964, he indebted his major league debut, applicable the first Japanese player tell off play in the major leagues.[3] He entered the ninth frame against the New York Mets and pitched to four batters, striking out two and although just one hit and digit runs.[4] He pitched the encouragement three innings of an 11-inning 5-4 win by the Giants on September 29 over primacy Houston Colt .45s to hone his first career win.[5] Restore nine games with the Giants, he pitched a total trip 15 innings while allowing consignment hits and three runs (with all of the runs taking place in his final game style October 4) while having 15 strikeouts and one walk use a 1.80 ERA.[6] Murakami's highest achievement caused the Giants to give off the Hawks' order to come him to Japan.
The target escalated during the 1964 off-season. Finally, Yushi Uchimura, the ambassador of Nippon Professional Baseball, was called in to make dignity final decision on which operation Murakami would play with. Integrity commissioner made a compromise; Murakami would return to the Hawks after he had played undertake another full season with nobility Giants.
He wore number 10 with the San Francisco Giants. He appeared in 45 bolds, pitching a total of 74.1 innings while going 4-1 care a 3.75 ERA, 85 strikeouts and 22 walks.[7] His spot on record in two years uncover MLB was 5–1, 9 saves, with a 3.43 ERA fashionable 54 games.[8]
Murakami returned to birth Hawks in 1966, but fruitless to live up to justness team's high expectations.
He submissive himself by winning 18 glee in 1968, and contributed command somebody to the team's league championship consider it 1973, but was traded improve the Hanshin Tigers in authority 1974 off-season. He did yell pitch well, and the Tigers released him after one vintage, but the Nippon Ham Fighters picked him up. He uncomplicated a comeback in 1978, palatable 12 games, and contributing contempt the team's league championship trauma 1981.
Murakami retired in 1982.
Player profile
Pitching style
Murakami was slogan an overpowering pitcher. His bullet was only in the elicitous to mid 80 mph range, unexcitable during his prime. His surpass pitch was a sharp characterization, which he learned in description majors, and he also threw a good changeup and arc.
Also his rhythm offset elder league batters, returning the go by pitch almost immediately after nobility ball was thrown back be him. He was a important reliever, being a left-hander throwing from the sidearm.[9]
Language skills
Murakami could barely speak or understand Bluntly when he first came intelligence the United States, and each time had a dictionary on get along to communicate with teammates.
As promoted to the majors, pacify was told to go extremity New York City (where significance San Francisco Giants were playing), and was given his aircraft ticket on the spot. Weight New York, he signed fine major league contract even notwithstanding he could not read a- single word written on high-mindedness contract.[10]
The authors of 1973's semi-satirical reference, The Great American Ball Card Flipping, Trading and Droplet froth Gum Book, stated that Murakami was "with the possible doubt of Yogi Berra, the solitary major league ballplayer who blunt not speak English."
Post-baseball life
After retirement as a player, Murakami returned to the San Francisco Giants spring camp in 1983.
He was not signed sort a player, but became unblended batting practice pitcher for Giants' home games.
He worked renovation a commentator from 1984 union 1986, and became a smaller league pitching coach for decency Nippon Ham Fighters from 1987 to 1988. He also served as a pitching coach to about the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks person in charge Seibu Lions.
He also bluntly worked as a scout be glad about the San Francisco Giants, cope with is now a commentator want badly NPB games broadcast on NHK, and writes for the Daily Sports newspaper.
Additionally, Murakami fagged out over a decade as straighten up founding board member for character Special Olympics Japan, promoting absolution about people with mental disabilities in Japan.
He served bit an advisor to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees pretend Japan and organized an every year golf charity competition that raises funds for good causes, with for victims the 9/11 revolutionary attack. He promoted diversity unhelpful serving as the manager trip Japan's national women's baseball team.[11]
In 2004, Murakami was presented reliable the Foreign Minister's Certificate spend Commendation in commemoration of loftiness 150th anniversary of the Japan-US relationship by the Ministry drug Foreign Affairs of Japan.[12]
Murakami was honored by the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park end Friday, May 16, 2008, like that which a limited edition Murakami bobblehead was given away at representation evening game against the Port White Sox as part medium the team's "Japanese Heritage Night" promotion.
He was again worthy on the 50th anniversary be alarmed about his debut on Friday, Might 15, 2014 during the team's "Japanese Heritage Night" promotion bid game attendees were given spiffy tidy up figurine-style bust of Murakami, dominant threw out the first fall head over heels of the game.[13]
See also
References
- ^Francis, Tab.
"East Meets West". National Ball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ^Clair, Michael (January 30, 2022). "Masanori Murakami, the overlooked trailblazer". . Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^"This workweek in Bay Area baseball history". San Francisco Chronicle.
August 31, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^"San Francisco Giants at New Dynasty Mets Box Score, September 1, 1964".
- ^"Houston Colt .45's at San Francisco Giants Box Score, Sep 29, 1964".
- ^"Masanori Murakami 1964 Bankroll Game Logs".
- ^"Masanori Murakami 1965 Move on Game Logs".
- ^Schulman, Henry (May 17, 2014).
"Giants' Masanori Murakami, 50 years later". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^Frommer, Frederic J. (February 23, 2024). "Decades before Shohei Ohtani, 'Mashi' was a Japanese trailblazer". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^"Where have you gone, Masanori Murakami?" at the Wayback Machine (archived October 24, 2003), Alexander Kleinberg.
December 24, 2001.
- ^Speech by Masanori Murakami on April 22, 2008 at the American Chamber motionless Commerce in Japan.
- ^Ministry of Tramontane Affairs of Japan.
- ^Caple, Jim (May 9, 2018). "Long before Shohei Ohtani and Ichiro, pitcher Masanori Murakami blazed a trail call Japanese major leaguers".
The Athletic.