Swallows' Alcides Escobar gets unexpected silent treatment in return to Japan
The lively atmosphere Alcides Escobar expected for his Tokyo Dome return was silenced by Japan's efforts to counter the spread of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. In November 2014, the longtime defensive wiz with the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals got a taste ...
Giants and Swallows compete without familiar sights and sounds at ballpark
The return of pro baseball to Tokyo Dome on Saturday night was greeted by a jarring silence. There were no songs or chants to welcome the players to the plate nor the blaring of trumpets to provide the familiar soundtrack to the NPB experience. Instead, it ...
COVID-19 fears hit live music in Japan
With fears over the COVID-19 outbreak increasing, a slew of overseas artists have cancelled live shows in Japan, while others are determined that the show must go on.
Seattle left-hander Marco Gonzales maintains normal focus for first Opening Day start
Opening Day is a celebratory time for baseball fans. It's when a long winter gives way to spring and the familiar crack of balls ricocheting off wooden bats. The atmosphere promises to be even more jubilant than usual for Seattle Mariners fans, for whom the ...
Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. excited about return to Japan
World-renowned boxing and mixed martial arts ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. has introduced fighters in 35 countries in his long career. And he calls Japan one of "my favorite" nations to work in. The 59-year-old Lennon, the ring announcer when Ryota Murata captured the WBA middleweight ...
Baseball community, friends reflect on Graczyk's life
Whenever the Yomiuri Giants were scheduled to play at home, I knew my phone would ring. "Are you going to Tokyo Dome?" Wayne Graczyk would ask. He wanted to know how many seats to keep free in the press box and how many doughnuts he ...
Future high-rise building could provide free views of Jingu Stadium games
It appears some apartment dwellers in Tokyo will soon have a great view of Yakult Swallows games at Meiji Jingu Stadium. A high-rise building is under construction right across the street from the ballpark. It's on the road that runs from the future site ...
MLB Network’s Martinez, Waltz inform and entertain during WBC telecasts
Good show put on by Major League Baseball and the organizers of the 2017 World Baseball Classic Asia rounds held in Seoul and Tokyo earlier this month. With the new Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, MLB was able to hold its first sanctioned event ...
Out-of-town scoreboards would enrich experience at all ballparks
Why don't the Japanese pro baseball stadiums have out-of-town scoreboards, and why do many of the main ballparks not display the home-run distances on the fences? These questions are asked often, but there does not seem to be a definitive answer to either. I happened to ...
After earlier struggles at home, hot-hitting Jones gaining confidence at Tokyo Dome
Garrett Jones might have felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders over the past two nights at Tokyo Dome. In two games against the Chunichi Dragons this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the Yomiuri Giants outfielder was 4-for-8 with a home run and eight ...
Protecting fans from batted balls presents an ongoing challenge
The recent recommendation by Major League Baseball that its teams expand protective netting between the playing field and stands at the ball parks is a good one. Too many fans have been injured by foul balls and bats flung into the stands, and the ...
Tokyo Dome a worthy option for basketball
One of the key selling points of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bid was its compact plan, which called for 85 percent of the venues to be within 8 km of the Olympic Village. It's obvious, though, that changes will be made to the venue plan, ...
