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November 22, 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
May 15, 2005
Long overdue interleague action playing to good reviews
The concept of the koryu-sen (interleague play) in Japanese baseball is getting great reviews so far from players, fans and media members. Typical comments from participants are, "We should have been doing this 10 years ago" and "It's great to see some different ballparks and towns for a change."
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 8, 2005
Nearly all agree Kuehnert wasn't given fair shot by Eagles
The week of April 25-30 was not a good one for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles or Marty Kuehnert.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
May 1, 2005
History set to be made with first interleague games in Japan
By the time you read the next offering of the "Baseball Bullet-In" on Sunday, May 8, Golden Week 2005 will be over, and Japan pro baseball's first session of interleague play will have begun.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Apr 24, 2005
Miceli's career here lasted slightly longer a than cup of coffee
The April 19 edition of the Tokyo Chunichi Sports paper ran a headline that read, "Miceli fired by Giants."
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Apr 17, 2005
'Blazer' leaves behind legion of fans, friends in Japan
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles General Manager Marty Kuehnert called on the morning of April 14 to give me the sad news that Don Blasingame died of apparent heart failure in his sleep at home in Arizona the previous night. He was 73.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Apr 10, 2005
Early showing by Carp raises hope for repeat of 1975 glory
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first Central League championship won by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. It was in 1975 when the "Aka-Heru" (Red Helmets) played in their first Japan Series.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Apr 3, 2005
Giants no longer packing 'em in at the Big Egg
Perhaps this is a sign of the times indicating the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, the once-almighty Kyojin team, does not have the overwhelming popularity it once had.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 27, 2005
Free tickets for Diamondbacks Day on April 17 at Tokyo Dome
The Pacific League Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters will continue their tradition of holding Arizona Diamondbacks Day at one of their home-away-from-home games at Tokyo Dome.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 26, 2005
Iwakuma determined to help Eagles soar in Sendai
Hisashi Iwakuma started playing baseball as an elementary school first grader at the age of 6, by throwing a ball against a wall in a game of catch with himself and dreaming of becoming a professional. Now, at age 24, he is arguably the best pitcher in Japanese pro baseball.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 26, 2005
Dragons favored to book return trip to Japan Series
The following is a team-by-team analysis of the 12 teams in Japanese pro baseball this season:
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 20, 2005
Who says you can't teach old baseball teams new tricks?
"New" is the watchword for Japanese baseball in 2005.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 13, 2005
Acceptance of foreign managers reflects yet another change in Japanese baseball
It is obvious Japanese baseball is changing. It was not all that long ago when such terms as free agency, posting, expansion, inter-league games and post-season playoffs were unheard of. Now, everyone here knows them.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 9, 2005
Can Lions stay focused in midst of scandal?
This could be the final season for the Seibu Lions, at least as we know the ball club by that name.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 2, 2005
Mail bag questions on Bunch, Kiyohara and the minor leagues
Dear Wayne: I read what you posted from Melvin Bunch's e-mail (Feb. 23).
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 23, 2005
Foreign stars to battle Japan stars in March 14 charity game
Kudos: To Bobby Valentine, Trey Hillman, Tsutomu Ito, Kazuhiko Ushijima and all the players who will participate in the Pro Yakyu Charity Game at Tokyo Dome on Monday, March 14.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 16, 2005
Golden Eagles inspire look back at MLB expansion teams
Much of the excitement building toward the opening of the 2005 Japan pro baseball season centers around the new Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. The Pacific League expansion team will, weather permitting, play its inaugural game Saturday, March 26, against the Chiba Lotte Marines at Chiba Marine Stadium....
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 9, 2005
Red Sox boosting association with Japanese baseball
The 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox are one of the major league teams becoming increasingly involved with Japanese baseball as evidenced by the recent signing of Japanese pitcher Denney Tomori and an agreement to send two coaches and two players from the BoSox organization to join the Fukuoka...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Feb 2, 2005
1995: A tumultuous year for Japan, a great one for baseball
Ten years have passed since one of the most unforgettable times in Japan's history.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 26, 2005
Baseball luminaries give Eagles GM Kuehnert big send off
More than 200 people attended the "Marty Kuehnert-Shi Iwai GM Shunin to Saranaru Nippon Yakyu Kai no Hatten o Negau Kai" (Party to Congratulate Mr. Marty Kuehnert on His Appointment as General Manager and Praying for the Success of Japanese Baseball) at a Tokyo hotel on Friday, Jan. 21, in honor of the...
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 19, 2005
With spring training near, end of line for George, Peta here?
With just 13 days remaining until the start of spring training, it appears George Arias and Roberto Petagine may have reached the end of the line in their productive careers in Japanese pro baseball.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
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.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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