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SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Jun 29, 2000

Redemption just a haircut away

We've seen how popular shaved heads have become in sports. Whether for fashion or function, Michael Jordan, Andre Agassi and Brazilian soccer stars are among countless male athletes noted for taking it all off.
SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Jun 15, 2000

What does the 'i' stand for anyway?

I know we've covered this territory before, but under the heading, "They just don't get it," comes the following:
BASEBALL / MLB
Jun 15, 2000

Giants fans give silent treatment

The Yomiuri Giants tried to bring a North American feel to the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday evening, asking their fans to leave the drums, trumpets and megaphones at home as they took on the Yokohama BayStars.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jun 14, 2000

Giants ask fans to turn down volume

Anyone familiar with Japanese baseball and the nonstop cheering that goes on in the outfield bleachers for nine innings may find Wednesday's matchup between the Yomiuri Giants and Yokohama BayStars a rather quiet affair.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Apr 30, 2000

Lotte closer Warren can't get a game in

Perhaps the most frustrated player in Japan pro baseball at present is Chiba Lotte Marines relief ace Brian Warren. With the team off to such a bad start in the 2000 Pacific League pennant race, Warren can't get into many games. As the team's closer, he's been extremely underworked, because Lotte has...
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 31, 2000

Cubs' catcher no ordinary Joe

Life has come full circle for Chicago Cubs catcher Joe Girardi and he seems pretty happy about it. The owner of three World Series rings -- earned during his last four seasons as a member of the New York Yankees -- Girardi is a profile in success.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Mar 12, 2000

New Fighters skipper Oshima faces foreign slugger dilemma

Nippon Ham Fighters freshman manager Yasunori Oshima will be faced with a dilemma of sorts when the 2000 Pacific League baseball season begins April 1. He's got three quality foreign hitters but, once the exhibition schedule comes to an end, he'll only be able to play two of them. Japanese baseball rules...
BASEBALL / MLB
Feb 16, 2000

One-on-one with new Red Sox hurler Samson

SEOUL -- Lee Sang Hoon, "Samson" to his Japanese fans, is one of the most talented pitchers to ever come out of South Korea, but also one of the most misunderstood.
BASEBALL / MLB
Jan 26, 2000

Korean owners play hardball, expel players from professional league for organizing union

After a group of Korean professional baseball players from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) formally announced they had formed a player union last Friday, the KBO and team presidents held an emergency meeting the following morning in Seoul and expelled all union members from the league.
BASEBALL / BASEBALL BULLET-IN
Jan 3, 2000

Bad predictions ring out 1999; New Year to see games in Nagano

Apparently, my ability to predict where Japanese free agent ballplayers would sign new contracts is no better than my infamous skill at picking pennant winners. You may recall in the Nov. 21 Baseball Bullet-In, I speculated on which teams the three high-profile Japanese free agents would eventually sign...
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 31, 2023

Fighters debut 'best stadium in the world' as NPB kicks off new season

The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters have touted the opening of their new home, Es Con Field Hokkaido, as the dawning of a new generation.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB Preview
Mar 30, 2023

Central League rivals hoping to prevent Swallows three-peat in 2023

Hanshin’s pitching staff has turned run prevention into an art. If the hurlers get more help from the batters, Hanshin can win the pennant.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Jul 11, 2023

How a 'Muppets' artist became a part of J. League mascot history

Among American writer Guy Gilchrist's achievements over a career that has spanned more than 40 years is the creation of Shimizu S-Pulse mascot Pul-chan.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 26, 2022

Mets' Kodai Senga well equipped to meet MLB challenge

“He's got Ohtani stuff on the mound. He's not hitting home runs, but on the mound, pitch-for-pitch, they have the same stuff.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 16, 2022

Red Sox introduce Masataka Yoshida

Masataka Yoshida helped lead the Orix Buffaloes to the franchise's first Japan Series title since 1996 this season. The Boston Red Sox haven't waited nearly as long for an MLB crown, but Yoshida wants to help add another to the trophy case at Fenway Park all the same.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 28, 2022

World Series between Astros and Phillies first without any U.S.-born Black players since 1950

'I don't think that that's something that baseball should really be proud of,' Astros manager Dusty Baker said Thursday.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Oct 26, 2022

Japanese pop culture in China: It’s complicated.

Japan and China recently celebrated 50 years of relations and, since then, Japanese art, film and music has had a major impact on Chinese society. Recently, however, the Chinese market has become increasingly difficult to navigate.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 14, 2022

MLB's playoff series set to swap cities in drama packed weekend

It will be the Phillies' first home playoff game since 2011 when they ultimately fell in five games in the NLDS to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 4, 2022

Roki Sasaki and Munetaka Murakami highlight Samurai Japan's November squad

Manager Hideki Kuriyama's men will face the Fighters and Giants at Sapporo Dome on Nov. 5 and 7, respectively, before a pair of games against Australia on Nov. 9 and 10.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
Oct 4, 2022

Munetaka Murakami earns place in NPB history with dominant season

The Swallows slugger broke new ground for a Japan-born player on Monday when he finished the regular season with his 56th home run, wrapping up the Triple Crown in the process.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 16, 2022

Tampa Bay Rays make history with all-Latin American lineup

The milestone also coincided with Roberto Clemente day, which honors the first Latin American player to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Sep 12, 2022

Pacific League pennant race heading toward photo finish

The Pacific League standings have been tight all year, and the season is heading into its final stretch with five of the six teams still in the title race.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
May 26, 2022

Is the next Shohei Ohtani already in NPB?

The American League MVP's historic 2021 season has inspired more Japanese players to try walking down their own two-way path.

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat