2019 Japan Series managers take trip down memory lane on eve of Game 1
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo admitted to feeling a little bit nostalgic on the eve of this year's Japan Series matchup against the Yomiuri Giants. Kudo was a pitcher for Yomiuri the last time these two clubs vied for the crown. That was in ...
Shinnosuke Abe says goodbye to Giants fans on a winning note
Everyone at Tokyo Dome knew what Yomiuri Giants public address announcer Daisuke Takahashi was going say. They just needed to hear him say it one more time, one last time. "Catcher, Abe Shinnosuke," Takahashi, voice rising to a scream, announced as the Giants took the ...
Mao Asada: Magnetism and artistry on ice defined an era
Three-time figure skating world champion Mao Asada became one of Japan’s most prominent individuals on the international scene during her storied career, while also taking the sport to new heights.
Tigers pounce on Giants' Tanioka in rookie's first career start
The Hanshin Tigers came to Tokyo expecting to face Tomoyuki Sugano in the second game of their series with the Yomiuri Giants Instead it was rookie Tappei Tanioka on the mound for his first career start, and Hanshin took full advantage. Yoshio Itoi's three-run homer and ...
Giants enduring historic losing streak
In their 83 years of existence, the Yomiuri Giants have never had a stretch quite this bad. The rapidly sinking Kyojin reached new depths on Wednesday night after Shingo Ishikawa struck out to end a 3-0 loss to the Seibu Lions at MetLife Dome. It ...
The Yomiuri Giants, lost their 11th straight game, matching a franchise record, in an 8-5 interleague defeat to the Seibu Lions on Tuesday. The Giants equaled the mark set in 1975, then-manager Shigeo Nagashima's first season at the helm. Before a crowd of 24,533 at MetLife ...
Angelic Mao's legacy will be part of skating forever
The news hit Japan and the skating world like a thunderbolt last Monday night when Mao Asada announced she was retiring from the sport. A true giant was departing. There was no other way to put it. The three-time world champion decided it was time to ...
Legend Nagashima rekindles memories of an unforgettable life in baseball
It was good seeing former Yomiuri Giants third baseman and manager Shigeo Nagashima visiting the team's spring training camp in Miyazaki earlier this month. He just turned 81 this past week and is visibly handicapped by a stroke suffered in 2004 that limits movement ...
Pondering Trump's future prospects of throwing out first pitches in MLB, NPB
What kind of president will Donald Trump be regarding sports? U.S. presidents have a tradition of throwing out the first ball to open a Major League Baseball season. They are also known for welcoming World Series winners and champion teams from other sports leagues to ...
Yamada slugs three homers in historic performance as Swallows overcome Hawks in Game 3
It was probably only a matter of time before Tetsuto Yamada made his presence felt. When he did, he produced one of the greatest performances in the history of the Japan Series. Yamada hit three home runs in three consecutive trips to the plate, driving ...
Robbs reflects on connection to Japan
A recent visitor to Tokyo was old Japan hand and long-time Honolulu sportscaster Don Robbs. The 78-year-old radio voice of the University of Hawaii baseball games and other sports in the islands has been a frequent traveler to this country since he first came ...
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, ...
