Hall of Fame, Japanese Institutions Partner on Museum’s New Yakyu | Baseball Exhibit

2025-03-16

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) – The connection between the United States and Japan has never been stronger, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is partnering with several historic institutions in Japan to showcase that bond at the game’s spiritual home in Cooperstown.

Yakyu | Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game will explore the longstanding exchange of teams and players in the more than 150 years since baseball was introduced to Japan. The exhibit, which is scheduled to open in July, will feature artifacts and stories about a game that became the island nation’s most popular sport more than a century ago.

The exhibit will open during a year when Ichiro Suzuki becomes the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will feature several artifacts on loan from Japan via groundbreaking partnerships.

Institutions partnering with the National Baseball Hall of Fame – and artifacts being shared – include:

Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Tokyo

Happi coat presented to Lefty Gomez as a welcome gift on the historic 1934 All-Americans tour of Japan
Jersey worn by Mickey Mantle during the 1955 New York Yankees tour of Japan

Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum

Trophy presented to the Keio University Baseball Club by their alumni in New York City during their 1911 tour of the United States
Trophy presented to the Keio University Baseball Club by Herb Hunter in commemoration of his 1928 coaching tour to Japan with Ty Cobb and a small group of other retired major leaguers
Stopwatch used by Japanese American manager Hisashi Koshimoto during his legendary career leading the Keio University Baseball Club

The Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium

Trophy presented by two Japanese American baseball organizations, the L.A. Nippons and J.B.B. of Southern California, to the Kobe Daiichi Shinko team on the Japanese high school’s 1929 tour of the United States

Additional artifacts that will be loaned to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit include:

Home Plate from Zenimura Field: This handmade wooden home plate anchored Zenimura Field to the Japanese American community unjustly imprisoned at the Gila River incarceration camp during World War II. (loan courtesy of the Kenichi Zenimura Family, Protected by the Gila River Indian Community, Entrusted to the Japanese American Citizens League – Arizona Chapter)
Bobby Valentine’s Matsutaro Shoriki Award: The Matsutaro Shoriki Award is given annually to the person who makes the greatest contribution to Japanese professional baseball. This award was presented in 2005 to Bobby Valentine, the first American recipient. (loaned by Bobby Valentine)
LeRon Lee’s Batting Champion Award: LeRon Lee, whose .320 career batting average is the highest in NPB history, was presented this silver bat upon winning the 1980 Pacific League batting title. (loaned by LeRon Lee)
Peter O'Malley’s Great Armor: To honor the longtime friendship between the O’Malley and Shoriki families, Yomiuri Giants owner Toru Shoriki sent Japanese baseball legends Motoshi Fujita and Shigeo Nagashima to Dodger Stadium on Jan. 29, 1988. There, they presented Dodgers President Peter O’Malley with this replica O-Yoroi, or “Great Armor.” This style of armor was traditionally worn by Japan’s highest-ranking samurai from the 10th to 14th centuries. (loaned by Peter O'Malley)
Wally Yonamine’s Plaque: In recognition of his stellar career as a player, coach, and manager in NPB, Yonamine was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo in 1994. This English version of his plaque was presented to his family. (loaned by Paul Yonamine)
Lefty O’Doul’s Plaque: In recognition of his contributions to the exchange of baseball between Japan and the United States, O’Doul was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo in 2002. This English version of his plaque was presented to his hometown San Francisco Giants. (loaned by the San Francisco Giants)

To fully examine the scope of the game’s role in cultural exchange between these two baseball hotbeds, the Cooperstown museum called on its counterparts in Japan, learning from and visiting the historians and curators at The Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo. The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame staff educated the Cooperstown team during multiple visits by National Baseball Hall of Fame staff.

“We are thrilled and honored to have partnered with the Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo and numerous other individuals and museums both in the United States and Japan in order to bring unique and rarely seen artifacts to Cooperstown for this special exhibition,” said RJ Lara, lead curator on Yakyu | Baseball. “Keio University, Waseda University, the Museum of Hanshin Koshien Stadium have also been especially generous with their time and knowledge. The result will be a one-of-a-kind experience for baseball fans on both sides of the Pacific.”

Among the many legends highlighted in the exhibit, Ichiro is one of three players – along with Hideo Nomo and Shohei Ohtani – who will be centerpieces of stories that will explore how the countries have connected through their shared love of baseball.

Artifacts representing Ichiro scheduled to be included in the exhibit include his batting gloves, wristbands, and elbow guards from his record-setting 261st and 262nd hits in 2004; his Team Japan batting helmet from the 2006 World Baseball Classic; his Mariners jersey from 2010 when he recorded his 200th hit for a record 10th consecutive season; and his spikes from his 500th career stolen base in 2016. Ichiro has generously donated dozens of artifacts, many of which are on display throughout the Museum, to the Hall of Fame throughout his illustrious career.

An exhibit dedicated to members of the Class of 2025, including Ichiro, will open this spring on the Museum’s second floor. The plaques for the newest Hall of Famers will be installed in the Museum following the July 27 Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown.

The Yakyu | Baseball exhibit is made possible by Guggenheim with support from former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, son of Hall of Fame executive Walter O’Malley. The new exhibit will be in the Guggenheim Gallery.

The exhibit will cover more than 1,800 square feet of space on the Museum's third floor.

For more information on the exhibit, please visit baseballhall.org/yakyu. Information is also available in Japanese at baseballhall.org/jp/yakyu.

For information on visiting Cooperstown, please visit the Hall of Fame’s official travel partner, Sports Travel and Tours.