Wayne Graczyk - The Japan Times

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Wayne Graczyk

Wayne Graczyk has written the "Baseball Bullet-In" column in The Japan Times since 1976. A native of New Jersey, he came to Japan in 1969 with the U.S. Air Force and is a 1977 graduate of Tokyo's Sophia University. Wayne was the long-time (1977-2004) sports editor of the Tokyo Weekender newspaper, he covers Yomiuri Giants baseball games for Nippon TV and, since 1976, he has compiled the Japan Pro Baseball Fan Handbook & Media Guide. He is a member of the Tokyo Sportswriters Club and the Foreign Sportswriters Association of Japan. Notice Wayne Graczyk, the baseball columnist for The Japan Times for the past 40 years, passed away at the age of 68 on April 19. His final column was posted on April 8. Readers can continue to access his coverage of Japanese baseball through the online archives.

For Wayne Graczyk's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Aug 28, 2015

Coping with intense heat at Koshien Stadium a real challenge

Can you imagine the annual National High School Baseball Tournament being played somewhere else besides Koshien Stadium? A fan has suggested, because of the intense heat earlier this summer and the likelihood global warming and climate change will make it even hotter in the coming years, the tournament site should be shifted indoors to Kyocera Osaka Dome.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Aug 8, 2015

Suggested upgrades for NPB stadiums

Japanese baseball considers itself to be a major league, and the quality and level of play is quite high. However, the ballpark facilities and availability of certain items could be improved to make fans feel more like they are at a big league game.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jul 18, 2015

Former Carp, Eagles manager Brown gets best of both worlds through scouting for Nationals

Washington Nationals director of Pacific Rim scouting Marty Brown just completed a second trip to Japan this season.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jul 4, 2015

Fond memories of 'Mr. Minor League'

Sadly, the Baseball Bullet-in says goodbye to a good friend and great fan of the game, Takashi "Bert" Shimada, aka "Mr. Minor League," who died in Tokyo on June 19 at the age of 87. Though he followed baseball at all levels in his own country as well as the U.S., he preferred American minor league baseball over the major leagues and pro ball in Japan.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jun 20, 2015

Yano off to quick start after move to Fighters

Over the years, foreign players on the 11 other teams in Japan besides the Yomiuri Giants have talked about the depth of the Giants and how good some of the Kyojin reserve players could be if the they played for another Central or Pacific League club.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jun 6, 2015

New interleague format divides opinion

We're already more than halfway through Japan's interleague season, and I overheard a member of the Japanese media say last week, "The interleague games are not interesting."

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

May 16, 2015

Sliding into first base not worth the risk

Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Daikon Yoh is out of action for probably six weeks after breaking his left thumb in a game against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on May 4 in Sapporo. He sustained the injury while attempting to perform one of the stupidest and unnecessary plays in baseball.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

May 2, 2015

Why hasn’t baseball embraced addition of female umpires?

Last month's hiring of Sarah Thomas as a National Football League official brings to mind the question of why there has never been a female umpire in the major leagues or Japanese professional baseball.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Apr 18, 2015

Spring chills pose challenges for baseball players, fans

The weather throughout Japan may be warming now that we have passed the middle of April, but there were some cold, wet days at the end of March and the beginning of this month that made it uncomfortable to play — and watch — baseball.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Apr 4, 2015

Trio of homers lauched Hanshin to title

As part of the celebration commemorating the 80 years of the Hanshin Tigers franchise, the ballclub will later this month remember the 30th anniversary of one of the most exciting moments in Japanese baseball home run history.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Mar 14, 2015

Darvish joins growing list of Japanese pitchers with major injury woes

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Feb 28, 2015

Flood of retired numbers can lessen significance

You probably saw the article last week with the news the New York Yankees will retire the uniform numbers of former players Andy Pettitte (46), Jorge Posada (20) and Bernie Williams (51). That brings to 20 the total of retired numbers by the Yanks, and Derek Jeter's No. 2 will follow and that means no one will wear a single-digit numeral on the club again.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Feb 14, 2015

Carp catcher Aizawa expected to have bigger role this season

Keep your eye this coming season in Japanese baseball on catcher Tsubasa Aizawa of the Hiroshima Carp. The 27-year-old, eight-year veteran appears ready to take over as the first-string catcher on a team poised to challenge for the Central League pennant under new manager Koichi Ogata.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jan 31, 2015

Fortune could shine on Cubs once again in '15

Two events that occurred last month have me thinking this could finally be the year the Chicago Cubs win the World Series and end a 107-year drought. The Cubs obtained outfielder Dexter Fowler from the Houston Astros in a Jan. 19 trade, and that was followed by the sad news on Jan. 23 of the death of "Mr. Cub," Ernie Banks, at age 83.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jan 17, 2015

Five key questions as 2015 NPB season approaches

With just two weeks to go until spring training camps open for the 12 Japanese pro baseball teams, here are five things to look for during the 2015 season:

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Jan 3, 2015

Hillman embraces new opportunity with Astros

Happy New Year to all readers of the Baseball Bullet-In, and we will start 2015 with an update on the new job of former Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Trey Hillman.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Dec 20, 2014

Swallows, Buffaloes upgrade rosters, renew hope for title run

The last time there was a Yakult-Orix Japan Series played, it was 1995. The Orix team was the BlueWave, based in Kobe and led by some guy named Ichiro Suzuki. He had just completed his second full season in Japanese baseball, hitting .342 to win his second of seven consecutive Pacific League batting titles.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Dec 6, 2014

Pirates coach Momose making most of skills

He is Japanese, trilingual and works for a major league baseball team. Kiyoshi Momose was the strength and conditioning coach for the visiting Major League Baseball squad on the recent All-Star tour of Japan. During the regular season, he works for the Pittsburgh Pirates, keeping in shape the players on that National League team.

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Nov 15, 2014

A look at NPB's new skippers for the 2015 season, challenges they will face

Five new managers are in place to lead Central and Pacific League teams in 2015 after an unusually big turnover of field bosses. Here is a look at who they are, their backgrounds, what kind of leaders they may turn out to be and what issues they will face with their respective clubs.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN

Nov 1, 2014

NPB's quirky playoff rules recipe for confusion

Did the Hanshin Tigers deserve to play in this year's Japan Series? The team finished second in the Central League pennant race, seven games behind the league champion Yomiuri Giants, but the Tigers advanced to the CL Climax Series Final Stage with a controversial victory over the Hiroshima Carp in the Climax Series First Stage.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.

Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Students ‘study abroad’ on island of Suo Oshima

Students ‘study abroad’ on island of Suo Oshima

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