There are a couple of new baseball books on the scene. One about the life of a foreigner who spent almost four decades in Japanese baseball, and the other a collection of heart-warming tributes by some well-known former players to those who convinced them not to give up chasing the dream of becoming a major leaguer.
"Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball" tells the story of the first post-World War II foreign player in Japan, the son of Hawaii, former NFL running back with the San Francisco 49ers who joined the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants in 1951. He went on to play 10 seasons with the Giants and two with the Chunichi Dragons before retiring after the 1962 season.
Yonamine stayed in Japanese baseball, going on to coach or manage with six teams: the Dragons and Giants, the Lotte Orions, Nankai Hawks, Seibu Lions and Nippon Ham Fighters. He finally retired in 1988 after 37 years in uniform.