Batterymates Katsuya Nomura, Joe Stanka shared special bond decades after playing for Hawks
The ball that brought an end to the 1964 Japan Series between the Nankai Hawks and Hanshin Tigers landed, as so many others had over those seven games, in Hawks catcher Katsuya Nomura's mitt. That final pitch (a swinging strike) was thrown by Nankai star ...
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame catcher and renowned manager Katsuya Nomura died of ischemic heart failure early Tuesday morning, according to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, the last club he managed. He was 84. Nomura was one of NPB's greatest slugging catchers, amassing 657 home ...
Giants star Shinnosuke Abe bows out as one of NPB's great catchers
For nearly 20 years Shinnosuke Abe's go-to phrase during hero interviews, following some heroic feat on the baseball diamond, has been "saikō desu" (the best). He'd be asked a question and would often shout the phrase as his response as the crowd ate it ...
Stanka's family reunited with '64 MVP trophy
Joe Stanka's Pacific League MVP trophy was missing for over 30 years. He won the award with the Nankai Hawks during the 1964 season. Pitching to catcher Katsuya Nomura, "Big Thunder" went 26-7 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 277⅔ innings. He was ...
Sachiyo Nomura, wife of former Hanshin Tigers skipper, dies at 85
Sachiyo Nomura, a TV celebrity who was the wife of former baseball manager Katsuya Nomura, died Friday at a hospital in Tokyo, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows baseball team announced. She was 85. Her talent agency said Saturday that the cause of death was ischemic heart ...
Chunichi Dragons player-manager Motonobu Tanishige appeared in his 3,018th career game on Tuesday, setting a Nippon Professional Baseball record. The 44-year-old catcher started Chunichi's Central League game against the Hanshin Tigers at Nagoya Dome. He entered the day tied with Hall of Fame catcher Katsuya ...
