The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime

by Robert Whiting

Matsui... Nomo... Sasaki... Ichiro... the so-called American "National Pastime" has developed a decidedly Japanese flair. Indeed, in this year's All-Star game, two of the starting American League outfielders were from Japan. And for the third straight year, Ichiro - the fleet-footed Seattle Mariner - received more votes for the All-Star game than any other player in the game today.

Some 15 years ago, in the bestseller You Gotta Have Wa , Robert Whiting examined how former American major league ballplayers tried to cope with a different culture while playing pro ball in Japan. Now, Whiting reverses his field and reveals how select Japanese stars have come across the Pacific to play in the big leagues. Not only have they had to deal with the American way of life, but they have individually changed the game in dramatic fashion.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction, Japan, Biography

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Robert Whiting is a best-selling author and journalist who has written several successful books on contemporary Japanese culture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W...


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[The Loft · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Americans liked Ichiro because, for one thing, he was a throwback to another time. He had reintroduced them to a style of offense that many MLB fans, accustomed to andro-induced sluggers and tape-measure home runs, had forgotten – an attack based on the single, the hit and run, and intrepid baserunning that had once defined the game.” – Robert Whiting, The Meaning of Ichiro

Robert Whiting’s book, The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave From Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime is a fascinating look at Japanese baseball – its history, its teams, its roots in martial arts, the tight grip that nationalism and corporate culture hold on players (and coaches), and how the pursuits of physical discipline, athletic perfection, and the “submergence of ego” destroy countless young players, as well as produce stars like Ichiro. You’ll read about Japanese managers who push their players in practice until they bleed, vomit, and collapse. You’ll read about how umpires in Japan are intimidated to change calls (offering insight into why the American rules protecting umps also protect the integrity of the game itself), as well as the details of a tortuous practice routine called “the 1,000 Fungo Drill.”

For those who enjoy reading stories about the clashes between players, agents and the front office, Ichiro has them in spades. Whiting’s book captures the inside negotiations, loopholes, crafty maneuvering, and bitter fights that finally cleared the way for Japanese players like Hideo Nomo and Ichiro to try their hands in America, (where before they were all but bound to Japan for life).

It’s also got stories about Americans in Japan, too. Pick up the book just to read the outrageous chapter in which former Mets manager, Bobby Valentine, leads one of the worst teams in Japan to second place and then gets sacked for it.

The book can get kind of dense, and it only covers the history of Japanese players in America up until 2003 (so you won’t find a mention of Cubs favorite, Kosuke Fukodome), but Whiting’s book is a portrait of how one sport and its fans can represent the nuances, peculiarities, intricacies, and damning as well as beautiful aspects to a nation’s character. If you’re a baseball fan (or interested in Japanese culture) and you want to learn about Japan’s role in transforming MLB baseball into an international pastime, this one covers a lot of bases. Gr 10 and up.

[Beth Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I powered through the main chapters on Ichiro and Nomo and really did enjoy the history of Japanese baseball, learning about the differences in philosophy, work ethic, etc. The middle chapters I skimmed and mostly skipped because they were so bogged down with intricate details about different Japanese players, which were all relatively the same. Final chapter on Matsui and the future of US Japanese’s baseball relations was more interesting, but overall I should have just given up on this one. I’ve read a lot of baseball books this year, and this was by far the weakest.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any fan of baseball that would like to see a whole new side of the game needs to read this book, especially in light of the recent rise in Japanese players making the jump to the Major Leagues. Learning the background of players like Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, and Hideo Nomo in their own context makes their presence on our shores that much more appreciated.

[Anne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating accounts of the life of Ichiro Suzuki and the culturally-fueled fights over players between the MLB and NPB. Though, the first half of the book had long chapters focused on Ichiro and Hideo Nomo, the last half were jumbled accounts of a mix of people. Despite the jumble at the end, it was informative to someone who is unfamiliar with NPB practices, but still familiar with Japanese culture.

[Pamela Okano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating book about all those Japanese baseball players who decided to come to the US to play including an explanation of all the obstacles Japanese professional baseball and Japanese norms put in their way. Unfortunately, since the book was published in 2003, it only goes up to the point where Kazuo Matsui made the leap. Nonetheless, this is an engrossing book that shines a light on all that is wrong with Japan even today.

[Judson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick look at the early lives and journeys to MLB of various Japanese players. Gives you quite a bit about the cultural differences and the relationship between the leagues. A little disjointed in that it bounces back and forth, but still a fun read for hardcore baseball fans.

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

nowhere near as good as "the chrysanthemum and the bat" and "you gotta have wa," "the meaning of ichiro" (now "the samurai way of baseball") still contains some gems: the chapters on ichiro are excellent, the chapters on nomo/matsui/irabu/bobby valentine in japan are also good (i'd forgotten that matsui was a prodigious and gentlemanly consumer of pornography). most of the little capsule profiles, like the ones of shigetoshi hasegawa and kazuhiro sasaki, are also enlightening. one thing you'll notice after reading a lot of whiting is that he reuses loads of material -- admirably, in my opinion, since i do the same thing (people aren't likely to see it the first time, and perhaps every book IS a first read for someone given how so few of us bother reading more than a handful of words each day). not must-read material, but if you like whiting's work, queue it up and you won't be disappointed.

[Eric Vickrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at baseball culture in Japan and the transitions of several Japanese players to the Major Leagues, including, of course, Ichiro. I read the book in 2024 and it seems a little outdated, but still provides some great history.

[Conor Neu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting stats and cultural significance, but no story to the book. Just mostly coverage of the players to come to Japan in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in learning more about some of the players in the mlb today who came from Japan and also about those who came before and this turned out to be the perfect book for that. I learned so much I didn't know about the game of baseball as Japan sees it. From the beginnings of the game in Japan to the players of today such as Ichiro, this book filled in all the gaps. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the great game of baseball. It brings the game to life without boring you to tears.

[Lish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting take on Japanese baseball and some of their stars who came to America to make it in MLB. The book touches on some of the history and traditions of the Japanese version of America's favorite pastime. Overall it was a quick read, and very interesting for someone interested in baseball.

[Steven Torre · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is certainly an area of study worth considering, because there are obviously cultural differences between the U.S. and Japan that impact how they play the game of baseball. But I thought Whiting's analysis was oversimplifying at best, and patronizing at worst. Just continues to perpetuate the notion of the Japanese as the "other" within the sport.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't wait to tear into this one after reading You Gotta Have Wa. Japanese baseball players have helped evolve the American game of baseball. Where I may not agree with the fees paid just to negotiate with the players, learning what they (especially Ichiro) did to get here is very interesting.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whiting is the king of everything Japanese baseball. Learning about Nomo & Ichiro's paths to the Major Leagues was really neat. The rest of the book is a fitting update to "You Gotta' Have Wa," which isn't as dated as I thought it would be.

[Jeremy Raper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and highly entertaining read detailing the history of Japanese baseball as well as the impact of the various players who came over to play in America. Would recommend to all fans of the game.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as "You Gotta Have Wa" by the same author, but still fun to read.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great look into the background and teachings of Japanese baseball culture.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that ichiro is a Yankee I'm even happier I read this several years ago.

[Prctaxman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great piece of research this book is!

[Daniel Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but uneven read about the relatively recent MLB-bound wave of Japanese baseball players. Whiting's first book about Japanese/American baseball, "You Gotta Have Wa", was better.

[Yukio Nagato · Rating 4 out of 5]

His hard work ethic even since he was a young kid is truly inspiring. The personification of "practice makes perfect".