Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game

Writing Baseball

by Robert K. Fitts, Robert Whiting (Foreword)

Remembering Japanese An Oral History of the Game transports us onto diamonds and into dugouts on the other side of the globe, where the vigorous sportsmanship of the game and the impassioned devotion of its fans transcend cultural and geographic borders and prove that baseball is fast becoming an international pastime.
Called Yakyu , baseball has been played in Japan since the 1890s but has only recently gained a substantial global following. Robert K. Fitts chronicles the nation’s distinctive version of the sport as recounted by twenty-five of its players. Fitts’s careful choice of subjects represents the experiences of a mix of American and Japanese players—including stars, titleholders, and members of the Japanese Hall of Fame. Informal, candid, and remarkably specific, these recollections describe teammates and opponents, corporate owners and loyal fans, triumphs and frustrations, collectively capturing all the spirit and emotion engendered by the game from decidedly personal vantage points. Throughout, readers glimpse the unique traits of baseball in Japan and discern how the game has evolved since its inception as well as how it differs from its American counterpart.
An unparalleled introduction for an American audience, Remembering Japanese Baseball is augmented by photos of its twenty-five interviewees and a timeline demarking milestone moments in the game’s Japanese history. Robert Whiting, author of You Gotta Have Wa! and The Meaning of Ichiro , provides the foreword.

Genres: Baseball, Japan, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[James Wayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nearly a decade ago, I read Robert Whiting's YOU GOTTA HAVE WA, and really appreciated his coverage of several former/future major leaguers (of the time) and their experiences with Japanese baseball.

I recently stumbled across a recommendation for this book (as well as a copy of the book), and feel it gives a more complete story of the league as well as the influence of foreign players on the game. As this moves into the '90's and early '00's, it was interesting to see a shift in Japanese culture and a conflict among whether these changes undermined the tradition or challenged the quality of play.

As someone who appreciates a good underdog story, this history of the pro game in Japan really was informative and entertaining. Somewhere down the line, I'm hoping to find a book that covers the league's history closer to present time... and that if it's only a fraction this good, it will be interesting and worth the investment of time and attention to read.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting parts about the start of Japanese baseball, and the differences between American and Japanese style baseball. The Japanese play a lot more small-ball, apparently, National League style. They take less chances in an effort to save face, as many American players comment. Pretty interesting!

[Leonora · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a book of interviews from both japanese and non-japanese players who put time in the NPB. it's a very interesting read, and worth it for anyone who wants to understand the difference in how MLB and NPB systems work. it highlights both the positive and negatives and is very even-handed.