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November 23, 2024
 

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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.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Dec 3, 2006
A trip down memory-dori on 1956 tour by Dodgers
Our good friend John Gilmore of Baseball International tipped us off through Bob Bavasi's JapanBall.com about an Internet home page highlighting former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers owner -- and international baseball devotee -- Walter O'Malley.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Nov 26, 2006
Fan power fails this time, as 'Guts' bolts Fighters for Giants
Despite the best efforts of those Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters fans who sought to convince star player Michihiro Ogasawara to remain with the club, the infielder decided to use his free agency and switch to the Yomiuri Giants.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Nov 19, 2006
Matsuzaka posting, 'gyroball' big topics of discussion
What an international baseball news week we had with the Daisuke Matsuzaka posting won by the Boston Red Sox and the rather surprising news the highest bid for Akinori Iwamura was submitted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Nov 12, 2006
Slugger Lee's four-year contract with Giants a big surprise
The news about Korean slugger Lee Seung Yeop signing a four-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants, announced Nov. 5, seemingly came out of the blue and is rather surprising, considering the first baseman's longtime aspirations to play in the major leagues.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Nov 5, 2006
Welcome to MLB players; hot hibachi league getting warm
A sincere yokoso (welcome) to manager Bruce Bochy and all the coaches, players and staff members on the current major league tour of Japan.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 22, 2006
Macha's return for MLB-NPB series off after firing by A's
Apparently it is a jinx to be the manager of the Oakland Athletics and be named to head a Major League All-Star tour of Japan. For the second time in four years, an A's skipper has been changed after getting the assignment to lead a visiting team in the nichibei yakyu.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 15, 2006
Things a lot different for 2006 Fighters heading into Japan Series
Congratulations to manager Trey Hillman and everyone connected with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on winning the franchise's first Pacific League pennant in a quarter century. The organization has come a long way since the last championship 25 years ago and should make a much better showing than last...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 8, 2006
With a month to go, baseball season here far from over
Do you think the professional baseball season ends in Japan in October?
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Oct 1, 2006
Clearing up any confusion about the Pa League playoffs
According to phone calls and e-mails I have been receiving, there seems to be a bit of confusion about exactly how the 2006 Pacific League playoffs will be scheduled, with respect to some new rules this year that change the number Stage 2 of games and home team designations, so let's try to clear up...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 24, 2006
Softbank's Saito better statistically than Matsuzaka, Kuroda
We mentioned here last week that major league scouts visiting Japan think Chunichi Dragons outfielder Kosuke Fukudome is the best Japanese position player in the Central or Pacific Leagues, but who is the best pitcher?
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 17, 2006
MLB scouts: Fukudome best Japanese position player in NPB
Who do you think is the best Japanese position player in Japanese baseball right now?
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 10, 2006
Talented Ushijima's exodus comes too soon for struggling BayStars
Too bad about the resignation/firing of Yokohama BayStars manager Kazuhiko Ushijima. I thought he was one of the better young skippers to come along in many a year, but he's being shown the exit door after only two seasons at the helm.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Sep 3, 2006
Kids of former foreign players in Japan making news
Hard to believe that story about former major league outfielder Jesse Barfield being pushed down a flight of stairs by his 18-year-old son Jeremy.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 27, 2006
Letters on high school arms, the WBC and Kaz in Colorado
Wayne: I am a big fan of Japanese high school baseball and was at Koshien for the wonderful tournament recently, but I am very disappointed high school coaches/administrators (and parents) allow their pitchers'/sons' arms to be abused for potential short-term gain.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 20, 2006
Posting, free agents and the always-busy rumor mill
Japan's sports papers are saying the ownership of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows is indicating the team is leaning toward posting two star players for major league availability following the 2006 season. Third baseman Akinori Iwamura and lefty reliever Hirotoshi Ishii are the guys who may be put up for auction...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 13, 2006
Giants '80s theme nights on; scalpers, bonus packets gone
In a further effort to draw more fans to home games at Tokyo Dome and remind supporters how good the team played 15-25 years ago, the Yomiuri Giants are remembering the "good ol' days" and holding '80s Night on Fridays.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Aug 6, 2006
JPBPU should consider rich history of Nichi-Bei Yakyu
You may have heard the Japan Pro Baseball Players Union has voted to end participation in Nichi-Bei Yakyu, the series of post-season all-star games between the best players in Japan and their counterparts from Major League Baseball. The apparent final good will event is scheduled to be played in Japan...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jul 23, 2006
Marty K. still alive and well in Eagles' nest
Marty Kuehnert still with Rakuten? What is Marty doing these days?
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jul 16, 2006
AFN changes may augur trends for other sports media
Recent news items indicate big changes are coming for the traditional form of broadcasting baseball games in Japan and the end of the line for baseball -- and other sports -- on Armed Forces Network radio in our world of high-tech, satellite and cable communications.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jul 9, 2006
Oh's illness the latest challenge for Softbank to overcome
The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks have had to scratch and claw this season to compete in the tight Pacific League pennant race.
Tokyo Metro’s overseas efforts begin in earnest with London deal
Tokyo Metro will soon have a role in the running of London's Elizabeth Line, a major train route serving the U.K.’s capital city and environs.
Man charged with murder allegedly made victim date other men for money
A car carrying suspect Ryotaro Masuda, who was indicted for allegedly beating his 25-year-old girlfriend to death, leaves the Shibuya Police Station in Tokyo on Thursday.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ex-yokozuna Kitanofuji dies at 82
Yokozuna Kitanofuji enters the ring during the May 1970 grand sumo tournament in Tokyo.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.

Podcast

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A boom for business tourism in Japan?
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