JOSH RAWITCH DISCUSSES YAKYU | BASEBALL
Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch talks with MLB Network's Brian Kenny about a new exhibit entitled Yakyu/Baseball: The Transpacific Exchange of the Game that will open in July 2025.
The Transpacific Exchange of the Game
IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:
WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM
AND
Baseball in the United States and yakyu in Japan exist, and in fact prosper, as a result of the emergence of transpacific systems of exchange between the two countries over the past 150 years. This exhibit will explore the wide-ranging exchange of baseball between Japan and the United States from the Meiji era to today and the transpacific circulation of baseball concepts, styles of play, fan experiences, equipment, and people that shaped the shared culture of the game.
Yakyu: the Japanese name for baseball
With an interpretive approach that balances the U.S. and Japan's contributions to the exchange of baseball - coinciding with Ichiro's Induction into the Hall of Fame - the Museum's first transpacific exhibition will appeal to international and domestic audiences.
Located on the Museum’s third floor, the exhibit will cover more than 1,800 square feet of space and feature four aspects of transpacific baseball:
Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch was joined by Masanobu Shoji, president of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; and Bobby Valentine, former manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He is also an exhibit ambassador for Yakyu | Baseball.
It is hard to imagine Major League Baseball without superstar Japanese players.
Masanori Murakami (1964-1965) and Hideo Nomo (1995-2005, 2008) opened the door for heroes like Ichiro Suzuki (2001-2019), Hideki Matsui (2003-2012) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (2007-2014) - a trend that continues with today's stars like Yu Darvish (2012-present) and Shohei Ohtani (2018-present).
Many American players and managers have gone to Nippon Professional Baseball and made a significant impact on the game in Japan.
Some of the most successful include Randy Bass, Warren Cromartie, Matt Murton and Bobby Valentine.
The exhibit will coincide with Ichiro Suzuki's induction into the Hall of Fame in 2025.
Known simply as Ichiro by baseball fans around the world, he is the first Japanese player to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Opening July 2025, the exhibit will explore the wide-ranging exchange of baseball between Japan and the United States.
The press conference at the US Ambassador's residence in Tokyo announcing the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit. From left to right: Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, Masanori Murakami and Warren Cromartie. (courtesy of US Embassy)
The press conference at Yankee Stadium announcing the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit. From left to right: Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch, Roy White and Hideki Matsui. (Arielle Goldman-Hecht/New York Yankees)
From left to right: Torey Lovullo, Dave Roberts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch with artifacts from the Museum's collection during a press conference on July 2, 2024. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
The press conference at the US Ambassador's residence in Tokyo announcing the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit. From left to right: Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, Masanori Murakami and Warren Cromartie. (courtesy of US Embassy)
The press conference at Yankee Stadium announcing the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit. From left to right: Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch, Roy White and Hideki Matsui. (Arielle Goldman-Hecht/New York Yankees)
From left to right: Torey Lovullo, Dave Roberts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch with artifacts from the Museum's collection during a press conference on July 2, 2024. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)
Tradition states that Horace Wilson introduced the game in Japan in 1872.
Waseda University became the first Japanese team to visit the United States in April 1905.
Waseda’s visit helped establish baseball as an integral part of Japanese American Culture.
The earliest Americans to play on Japanese teams opened the door for future players to set records and milestones in NPB.
A new wave of standout Japanese players have chosen to pursue their MLB dreams in recent years.
From his 1996 no-hitter.
2004 MLB Japan All-Star Series.
In addition to our talented curatorial team, we have enlisted exhibit ambassadors and curatorial consultants with expertise on baseball in Japan.
Yoichi Nagata, Historian and Author
Scott Akasaki, Senior Director, Team Travel, Los Angeles Dodgers
Makoto Hayashi, Director, Pacific Rim Operations, Arizona Diamondbacks
Nobby Ito, Official Historian and Senior Advisor for Rules & Labor, Nippon Professional Baseball
Adam Jones, Former outfielder, Baltimore Orioles, Orix Buffaloes, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks
Acey Kohrogi, Director, Pacific Rim Operations, San Diego Padres
Torey Lovullo, Manager, Arizona Diamondbacks and former Yakult Swallows player
Grace McNamee, Manager, Communications, Los Angeles Angels
Matt Murton, Former Outfielder, Hanshin Tigers, Oakland A’s, Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies
Kerry Yo Nakagawa, Founder and Director, Nisei Baseball Research Project
Don Nomura, Sports Agent
Sadayuki Sakakibara, Commissioner, Nippon Professional Baseball
Sayuri Guthrie Shimizu, Dunlevie Family Professor of History, Rice University
Taka Shirai, Executive Director, Matsui 55 Baseball Foundation & President, Leadoff Sports
Masanobu Shoji, President, Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Jim Small, President, World Baseball Classic
Bill Staples, Historian and President, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) - Arizona Chapter
Bobby Valentine, Former Manager, Chiba Lotte Marines, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox
Paul Yonamine, Chairman Emeritus, Central Pacific Bank
You can support this groundbreaking exhibit with a contribution today.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities contact:
Ken Meifert, Vice President Sponsorship and Development
kmeifert@baseballhall.org
Maintaining a robust exhibit program requires not only the funding to build and install new exhibits like Yakyu | Baseball, but the resources to retain a team of talented professionals including curators, researchers, designers, fabricators, collections staff and archivists capable of telling a complex tale through the priceless artifacts in our collections.
The Museum’s exhibits bring baseball history to life. For more than 250,000 visitors a year, the exhibits weave together legendary accomplishments, famous characters and cultural impact in a narrative that is uniquely baseball’s.
far away
under the skies of America
they began
baseball—ah,
I could watch it forever
Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)
The memories you’ll make here will last a lifetime. Awed by priceless artifacts. Moved by stories and triumphs that inspired and united a nation. Find your way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and you’ll make history of your own.
The Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Hall of Fame travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.
Across our three floors of exhibit space, you will experience baseball history through artifacts on display, which showcase the important individual and team moments on the field as well as the game's monumental impact on our society.
The memories you’ll make here will last a lifetime. Awed by priceless artifacts. Moved by stories and triumphs that inspired and united a nation. Find your way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and you’ll make history of your own.
The Museum has teamed up with Sports Travel and Tours to offer baseball fans a one-stop opportunity to purchase Hall of Fame travel packages. For more information or to plan a trip to Cooperstown, please call 1-888-310-HALL (4255). Membership participants receive a 5% discount on all their baseball travel packages.
Across our three floors of exhibit space, you will experience baseball history through artifacts on display, which showcase the important individual and team moments on the field as well as the game's monumental impact on our society.