Today’s Major League Baseball rosters are dotted with players from Japan. From Seattle’s Ichiro to the Matsuis on either side of New York, these skilled and colorful players have added a new dimension to the American game. Despite being scrutinized by both the media, as well as baseball fans, over a pair of…
Masanori Murakami Positions: Bats: L Throws: L Height: 72 Weight: 180 Born: Saturday, May 06, 1944 in Kita Tsuru-gun, Yamanashi Japan Died: in , Debut: 9/1/1964 Last Game: 10/1/1965 Full Name: Masanori Murakami
San Francisco Giants celebrate “Masanori Murakami Day” at Candlestick Park
1965 – Commissioner Ford Frick suspends U.S.-Japan baseball relations until the Yomiuri Giants-San Francisco Giants dispute over Masanori Murakami’s contract is resolved.
Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in the major leagues, says he will not play for the San Francisco Giants this season, instead returning to the Nankai Hawks. This ends a long dispute over the rights to Murakami and no Nippon Pro Baseball player will try to come to the US for almost 30 years due to the legal and cultural barriers on both sides.
On September 1, 1964, Masanori Murakami of the San Francisco becomes the first Japanese-born player to appear in a major league game. Murakami pitches one inning of relief in a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets.
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