Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball

by Robert K. Fitts

University of Nebraska Press

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Often called the Nisei Jackie Robinson, Wally Yonamine was the first ethnic Japanese to play professional football in the United States and the first American to play professional baseball in Japan after World War II.  In both environments, the young Hawaiian had to adapt to unfamiliar cultures and overcome prejudice against his Japanese-American ancestry.

Wally Yonamine was born in 1925 on a Maui sugar plantation to poor Japanese immigrants.  His success on the gridiron allowed him to escape the plantation and eventually sign with the San Francisco 49ers in 1947.  After an injury ended his football career, Yonamine turned to baseball.  In 1951, the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants chose him to become the first American to play in Japan during the Allied occupation.  Yonamine adopted his football skills to baseball and played hard--stealing bases, sliding hard, and knocking down opponents.  The Japanese were aghast at the aggressive American.  Opposing fans hurled insults and rocks at him, but he quickly became one of the most dominant players in the league.  His success changed the way the Japanese played the game, and opened the door for other Americans to come to Japan.  Although it was often trying, Yonamine adapted to Japanese culture and stayed in Japan as a player, coach, and manager for 37 years.  He was elected to the Japanese Hall of Fame in 1994. Now, at 80 years-old, Yonamine’s friendly and down-to-earth personality make him a role model in both Hawaii and Japan.  He has been decorated for his contributions in American and Japanese foreign relations by the Emperor of Japan and is involved in a variety of charitable organizations.

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"Fitts creates a book in which the life of Wally Yonamine almost jumps off the page.  Expertly researched and crafted book. This is a must-read and a must-add to the bookshelf for those with an interest in the history of Japanese baseball, and a worthwhile read for any baseball fan looking to broaden their knowledge of this great game that has spread around the globe." -BaseballBookReview.com

"A great read about a Japanese baseball player who has been too long overlooked  and also the coming-of-age of baseball in Japan." - Choice

"The way that Fitts brings history alive in this book is gripping ... [It] makes you feel as though you were there in the stands." - JapaneseBaseball.com

"An outstanding book" - Japanese Baseball Cards

"I got to know Wally in 1977 while he was still managing the Dragons, but wish I had seen him play 25 years earlier. Reading this biography is the next best thing. [Robert] Fitts leaves no stories untold about Yonamine''s life in this excellent book."-Wayne Graczyk, Japan Times

"The fascinating saga of a most under appreciated American sports hero" -Gary Engel, author of Sayonara Home Run

"2005 Sporting News-SABR award winner Fitts deserves high marks for bringing forth this title sure to grasp pro football and baseball enthusiasts alike."-Southern New England Chapter Society for American Baseball Research