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I have visited several museums commemorating MLB players on college or university campuses around the United States, and I have published my visits to these museums on this website. ...In the United States, museums commemorating MLB players are often located on college or university campuses, which I believe is completely different from Japan. I am not aware of any examples of museums commemorating professional baseball player on Japanese college or university campuses. Some U.S. universities have baseball halls of fame on campuses, which sometimes honor MLB players. ...This, too, is completely different from Japan. I am not aware of any Japanese university campuses with baseball halls of fame that honor professional baseball players. This column is an account of a visit to a baseball hall of fame on a university campus in the United States that also honors MLB players. In June 2013, while driving around the United States, I stopped in Jasper, Indiana. In this city, there is Vincennes University, and its campus houses the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. Entrance to Vincennes University with a sign indicating that this is the location of the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. The campus of Vincennes University was so beautiful that it made me envious. Beautiful buildings, including school buildings, were scattered across the lush green grounds, making me feel like I had entered a fairy tale land. The building where the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame is located. A sign indicating that the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame is located. The Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame was also located in a beautiful building. Entering the building, the Hall of Fame’s small entrance was immediately on the right. Unfortunately, the shutters were down, so I couldn’t get in. Oh dear, I’d come all the way here, and it’s closed? As I was at a loss, two middle-aged white women happened to pass by. I explained the situation to them and begged them if they could open it for me. At times like these, middle-aged women in the United States can be incredibly kind. "Oh dear, that’s a shame!" The two women said, and went to the Hall of Fame’s management office to discuss the matter. After a while, they returned with smiles on their faces and told me, "Don’t worry. They say it opens at 11 o’clock." So that’s how it was. It only took about an hour to wait. When I thanked them, the two of them left with happy smiles on their faces. I went into the large cafeteria inside the building and ordered a coffee. The middle-aged white woman working there smiled and asked, "Are you a teacher here?" "No, I’m a tourist from Japan." The woman looked surprised. When I returned to the entrance to the Hall of Fame at 11 o’clock, a middle-aged white woman working as an admissions attendant smiled and said, "I think you’re the first person here from Japan." She opened the shutter for me. ...It was my lucky day when middle-aged women treated me kindly, anytime, anywhere. I went inside the Hall of Fame. I later learned that visitors had to pay an admission fee. But I got in for free. ...Was the middle-aged white woman treating me specially because I was from Japan and didn’t charge me an admission fee? The entrance to the Hall of Fame was small, but once inside, it was quite spacious. The first thing that caught my eye were the numerous reliefs on the walls. Each relief is shaped like a person’s face, and underneath it is the person’s name and achievements. I began to look at each relief, wondering, "Were there really that many famous major leaguers from Indiana?" After looking at them for a while, I realized my mistake. Many reliefs on the wall. Those honored in this Baseball Hall of Fame are selected by the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association, so not only major leaguers but also high school baseball coaches, umpires, etc. are selected. At the very back were two special corners, one for Don Mattingly and one for Scott Rolen, major leaguers from Indiana. These corners featured dolls that bore no resemblance to the players themselves, uniforms believed to have been worn by them, and device that displayed videos of their achievements. Don Mattingly's Corner Scott Rolen's Corner Both Don Mattingly and Scott Rolen were great players. During his 14 years as a player, Mattingly led the league in batting average and RBIs once each. Rolen is known as a highly skilled defensive third baseman and has been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. As I toured the hall of fame, I wondered: Is there a baseball hall of fame in Japan where the high school baseball organization selects the people to be honored, regardless of whether they are amateur or professional? I don’t think there is one, whether it’s on a university campus or not. This difference between Japan and the United States may reflect the different levels of maturity, popularity, and establishment of baseball culture in the two countries. Am I overthinking it? (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

I believe that stealing bases is one of the most fascinating and exciting aspects of baseball. Therefore, I love players who steal many bases, and I always hope that such players will consistently emerge. However, it’s very disappointing that such players haven’t appeared in Major League Baseball recently. So, what is necessary for players to emerge who can steal many bases? Now, I’d like to talk about Babe Ruth. This might sound far-fetched, so you might be surprised, as Babe Ruth was a player who could almost be considered unrelated to stealing many bases. Babe Ruth hit 54 home runs in 1920. The next highest number of home runs in all of Major League Baseball was George Sisler with 19, a difference of a whopping 35. In 1921, Babe Ruth hit 59 home runs. That year, the second-place player in all of Major League Baseball hit 24 home runs, so the difference was still 35 (a 35-home run lead over second place is, of course, a Major League record. It’s hard to imagine any player ever breaking such an incredible record). Babe Ruth was the only player who stood out from the rest. He was the only one who could hit so many home runs, and no other player could do that. However, I think the most noteworthy point is what happened next. Something very important happened from this point onward. When Babe Ruth started hitting a lot of home runs, other players were only hitting around 10 or 20 home runs at most, but as Babe Ruth continued to hit a lot of home runs, other players who were also hitting a lot of home runs gradually began to appear. For example, from 1922 onwards, players hitting 30 or 40 home runs became fairly consistent. In 1927, the year Babe Ruth achieved his groundbreaking record of 60 home runs in a single season, the second-place finisher, Lou Gehrig, hit 47. The difference was only 13 home runs. This is significantly smaller than when Ruth only hit around 50 home runs. What exactly is the meaning of this phenomenon? Perhaps it means that when someone takes the lead in doing something that everyone thought was impossible, others start to think, ““Maybe I can do it too,”“ and then people who can do it start to appear one after another. In other words, Babe Ruth also managed to bring out the potential in others. ...It’s fair to say that this kind of phenomenon occurs not only in baseball, but in any field (even outside of sports). Now, what about stolen bases? Before explaining in detail, to state the conclusion, just like with Babe Ruth’s home runs, when someone takes the lead in stealing many bases, it inspires other players to follow suit and steal many bases as well. The graph below shows the change in the number of stolen bases by the player with the most stolen bases in Major League Baseball each year from 1901, when modern Major League Baseball began, to last year (2025). The vertical axis represents the number of stolen bases by the player with the most stolen bases across both leagues, and the horizontal axis represents each year. This graph clearly has peaks and valleys. I would like to explain the peaks, that is, the periods when the emergence of players with a large number of stolen bases is prominent. First, the peak in the 1910s. This peak is largely due to the emergence of Ty Cobb. Until then, no one had ever exceeded 70 stolen bases, but in 1909, Ty Cobb achieved the record of 76 stolen bases. This seemed to stimulate the emergence of players such as Eddie Collins (81 stolen bases in 1910), Clyde Milan (88 stolen bases in 1912, 75 stolen bases in 1913), and Benny Kauff (75 stolen bases in 1914). Ty Cobb recorded 96 stolen bases in 1915. An excellent biography of Ty Cobb “Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty” by Charles Leerhsen (2016, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks) Next, regarding the long peak in stolen bases that lasted from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s, there were several key players, but the biggest contributor was undoubtedly Maury Wills. In 1962, Maury Wills recorded 104 stolen bases, becoming the first player in modern Major League history to exceed 100 stolen bases. That year, the second-place player in stolen bases in MLB had 32. In other words, Wills had a lead of 72 stolen bases over the second-place player. This remains an unbroken Major League record. Later, players emerged who recorded more stolen bases than Wills, but none have achieved such a large lead over the second-place player. Wills then recorded 94 stolen bases in 1965. Inspired by Wills, many other players emerged who recorded many stolen bases. These include players like Lou Brock (74 stolen bases in 1966, 118 in 1974, etc.), Tommy Harper (73 stolen bases in 1969), and Davey Lopes (77 stolen bases in 1975). This period led to the emergence of Rickey Henderson (100 stolen bases in 1980, 130 in 1982, 108 in 1983, etc.) and Vince Coleman (110 stolen bases in 1985, 107 in 1986, 109 in 1987). Inspired by Henderson and Coleman, players like Tim Raines (75 stolen bases in 1984, etc.) and Marquis Grissom (76 stolen bases in 1991, 78 in 1992) also appeared. A video showing Maury Wills speaking (on display at the Maury Wills Museum) A photo of Rickey Henderson and his career stolen bases on the package of the MLB Official DVD Series: Baseball's Unbreakable Feats (Japanese version, 2007, Geneon Entertainment) So, what about recently? I had anticipated that a number of players would emerge who could steal many bases by factors different from the previous pattern where someone taking the lead in stealing many bases would motivate other players. These factors were the introduction of a pickoff limit in 2023 (a balk if a pitcher fails to pick off the same runner after three attempts) and the enlargement of first, second, and third base (the sides of the bases increased from 15 inches to 18 inches). It’s safe to assume that these two changes will make stealing easier and players will emerge who can steal many bases. In fact, the number of stolen bases across Major League Baseball has increased since 2023. While the average number of stolen bases per game in MLB had never reached 0.7 in the 21st century, it has exceeded 0.7 every year since 2023. And in 2023, Ronald Acuña Jr. recorded 73 stolen bases. He was the first player to reach 70 stolen bases since Jacoby Ellsbury stole 70 bases in 2009. I had hoped that many more players would emerge who could steal a large number of bases, but unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet. A concise but well-written biography of Ronald Acuña Jr. by Clayton Geoffreys (2022) Despite factors such as the limit on the number of pickoff attempts and the increase in base size, and the fact that the total number of stolen bases in Major League Baseball is increasing, why aren’t we seeing many players who can steal a large number of bases? It’s a shame and a great pity that Acuña Jr., a player with incredible talent, has been unable to perform at his best since 2024 due to a series of injuries. I will continue to wait, hoping that Acuña Jr. will be able to showcase his true talent again, or that another player will emerge who can steal a large number of bases, inspiring others to follow suit. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

The American film "12 Angry Men" (1957) was made nearly 70 years ago, but even today it remains captivating, thought-provoking, and deeply moving. I think it's no wonder that many people call it a masterpiece. I love this film and have probably watched it at least 100 times on DVD. No matter how many times I watch it, I never tire of it. I'm always impressed by Reginald Rose's screenplay, Sidney Lumet's masterful direction and editing. The performances of the cast, including Henry Fonda, who play the 12 characters, are simply stunning. DVD of the movie “12 Angry Men” (Japanese version) Many people are probably familiar with the plot of this film, but I'll give a brief introduction anyway. The film begins at the end of court arguments regarding a boy accused of murder. The film consists entirely of scenes in which the 12 jurors (all male) debate in the jury room whether the defendant is guilty or not (apart from the opening scene where the court arguments are over and the final scene where the jurors leave the courthouse). Based on the testimony and evidence, the 11 jurors are certain that the defendant is guilty, so they think they can quickly reach a unanimous decision to find the defendant guilty. However, one juror suggests that the defendant may be not guilty. The remaining 11 jurors are stunned, unable to believe that the defendant is not guilty. From this point on, however, a heated debate unfolds about the credibility of the testimony and evidence. And in the end, lo and behold, all 12 jurors unanimously decide that the defendant is not guilty. Now, there is one thing that bothers me about this seemingly perfect film. After the 12 jurors enter the jury room to deliberate, one juror (Juror # 7) shows off his tickets to the New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians) game in front of the other jurors, saying he wants to get the discussion over with and go see the game. He then puts the tickets in his pocket. The twelve jurors then began to deliberate. However, after a while, Juror # 7, who had grown tired of the discussion, suddenly changes his opinion for no apparent reason. Juror # 11, enraged by Juror # 7's careless attitude, says, "What kind of a man are you? You have sat here and voted guilty with everyone else because there are some baseball tickets burning a hole in your pocket. And now you have changed your vote because you’re sick of all the talking here." It's a pretty powerful scene. However, I think there's a problem with Juror # 11's words, because Juror # 11 couldn't have known that # 7 had the ticket in his pocket. When #7 showed off the ticket in front of the other jurors and put it in his pocket, # 11 was in the bathroom next to the jury room. The bathroom is designed so that the conversation in the jury room cannot be heard. Furthermore, the ticket that Juror # 7 showed off was not one, but multiple tickets (probably two). Juror # 11 wasn't there, so he couldn't have known whether it was one or multiple tickets, but when he confronted Juror # 7, he correctly said "tickets" instead of "a ticket." This is also strange. When I told a few friends that the baseball ticket issue was the only failing in this wonderful movie, they rewatched the DVD and agreed with me: "Yes, Juror # 11 couldn't possibly know that Juror # 7 had the ticket, because while Juror # 7 was showing off his tickets, Juror # 11 was in the bathroom in the next room." However, regarding Juror # 11 saying "tickets" instead of "a ticket," they said, "It's true that Juror # 11 didn't look at the ticket, but it makes sense that he would say tickets instead of a ticket, since watching a game is usually done in pairs, not alone." I would like to refute this opinion. I have seen people watching baseball games alone at ballparks in Japan. I have also seen Americans watching Major League Baseball games alone at ballparks in the United States. It is by no means extremely rare. However, I think that most (perhaps all) people who go to baseball games alone, in both Japan and the United States, are men. In both Japan and the United States, it may be that more men than women live lonely lives. Is it really okay to draw such a conclusion solely from watching baseball? Finally, there is something I really want to say. I am worried that my point about this ticket issue may be incorrect and merely a misunderstanding on my part. If so, please let me know. I will correct it immediately. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

My initial interest in 3,000 career hits in Major League Baseball was sparked by Stan Musial (who died in 2013 at the age of 92). My interest in 3,000 career hits grew stronger, and I became interested in their relationship to single-year hits, thanks to Al Simmons (who died in 1956 at the age of 54). And with the move of our Japanese hero, Ichiro, to Major League Baseball, my interest in the relationship between 3,000 career hits and single-year hits increased even further. This time, I’d like to begin by briefly touching on these three players. First, Stan Musial. In the fall of 1958, the St. Louis Cardinals came to Japan to play against Japanese professional baseball players. I was 11 years old at the time, and I watched one of those games live at the stadium. My main reason for going was to see Stan Musial. Until then, I had never even heard the name Stan Musial, but when I saw and heard the extensive media coverage of him upon his arrival in Japan, I learned for the first time that he was a top-class player who had led the league in batting average seven times and recorded a batting average of over .300 for 16 consecutive years. Furthermore, I learned that he was also famous for achieving the remarkable feat of 3,000 career hits. This surprised and impressed me the most, and sparked my interest in 3,000 hits. Then, I was even more surprised and impressed to learn that there were other incredible players in Major League Baseball besides Stan Musial who had achieved over 3,000 career hits. ...Two years before Stan Musial’s arrival in Japan in 1958, in 1956, a player named Tetsuharu Kawakami achieved the first 2,000 career hits in Japanese professional baseball history, but achieving 3,000 career hits was unthinkable in Japanese professional baseball. Here, there is something I absolutely must mention. In Japanese professional baseball, there is only one player who has achieved 3,000 career hits. In 1980, Isao Harimoto achieved this feat (ultimately accumulating 3,085 career hits). Harimoto led the league in batting average seven times and had 16 seasons with a batting average above .300. Furthermore, he also achieved 500 career home runs (Stan Musial’s career total was 475). Achieving 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in Japanese professional baseball, which has fewer games per year than MLB, is truly remarkable. Harimoto also achieved a career batting average of .300, 300 home runs, and 300 stolen bases. Of course, this is a feat achieved by only one person in the history of Japanese professional baseball. Even in MLB, only Willie Mays has achieved this. This might lead one to believe Harimoto was a versatile player on par with Mays, but unfortunately, unlike Mays, Harimoto had weaknesses in defense. Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that Harimoto was a great player. Next is Al Simmons. A masterful biography chronicling the life of Al Simmons. “Bucketfoot Al: The Baseball Life of Al Simmons” by Clifton Blue Parker (McFarland & Company, 2011) My interest in Simmons began in 1990 when I read a certain book. That book was the Japanese translation of “To Absent Friends from Red Smith“ (1982, Scribner) by Red Smith (who died in 1982 at the age of 76), a renowned sports writer who also won a Pulitzer Prize. A surprising and thought-provoking column about Simmons is contained in this book: Simmons, hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, knew he was a great player and a celebrity. People called him “The Duke of Milwaukee“ and he behaved with the arrogance befitting such a person. He was proud of being called that. Despite all that, he just couldn’t reach 3,000 career hits (his career total was 2,927). He struggled with this and deeply regretted it. He thought that if he had imagined beforehand that he would come so close to 3,000 hits, he would have worked hard enough to achieve it, and he regretted so much that he wanted to slit his own throat when he remembered the days he was lazy or when he faked illness to get out of the lineup. “To Absent Friends from Red Smith” by Red Smith (Japanese translation version, translated by Michio Higashi, Tokyo Shoseki Co., Ltd., 1990) Al Simmons is a legendary player who has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and has achieved 200 or more hits in a season six times (including five consecutive seasons). It’s surprising that such an excellent player hasn’t achieved 3,000 career hits, and I was surprised to learn for the first time how deeply he regretted it, but I could understand his feelings. After reading this book, I’ve come to realize that there are players who are desperately trying to extend their playing careers and avoid retirement in order to achieve 3,000 career hits. For example... no, I won’t mention names as it would be rude. Most of those players ended up retiring without achieving 3,000 career hits. Do they regret it as deeply as Simmons? Even if that were the case, I would never despise them, just as I would never despise Simmons. No one looks back on their life without regrets. Incidentally, there are seven Major League players who have achieved 200 or more hits in a season for five consecutive years or more, but only two of them are right-handed hitters. Al Simmons and Michael Young (who retired after 2013) achieved this for five consecutive years. Next is Ichiro. In 1994, the year of his sensational debut in Japan, Ichiro surprised us fans by saying he aimed to achieve 200 hits in a season. Until then, Japanese baseball fans had focused on batting averages and home run counts, but had never on the number of hits in a season. And that year, Ichiro achieved the first 200 hits in a season in Japanese professional baseball history. After moving to Major League Baseball in 2001, he even set a Major League record by achieving 200 or more hits in a season for 10 consecutive years. During those ten years, Ichiro didn’t effortlessly achieve 200 hits every year. He felt the pressure of being expected to hit 200 or more hits a year, and he experienced slumps, but he continued to work hard to overcome them. ...There is a wonderful book that conveys these efforts of Ichiro. It’s a compilation of long interviews conducted annually by Japanese sports journalist Yuta Ishida with Ichiro. “Ichiro Interviews: Complete Edition“ (in Japanese, Bungeishunju, Co., Ltd., March 2026). I sincerely hope that this wonderful book will be translated into English so that Major League Baseball fans in the U.S. can also read it. An incredibly wonderful interview with Ichiro by Yuta Ishida. “Ichiro Interviews: Complete Edition” (in Japanese, Bungeishunju Ltd., March 2026) Despite achieving 200 or more in a season for 10 consecutive years, Ichiro was unable to reach 3,000 career hits for quite some time. I worried that his late start in Major League Baseball (at age 27) might be a factor, but he finally achieved 3,000 career hits at age 42. I was worried about whether Ichiro, who has achieved 200 or more hits in a season for 10 consecutive years, would be able to reach 3,000 career hits, so my interest in the relationship between 3,000 career hits and season hits grew stronger. I decided to investigate it myself. Now, there are a total of 20 players in Major League Baseball history who have achieved 200 or more hits in a season five or more times. Table 1 summarizes whether these 20 players have achieved 3,000 career hits, their age at their MLB debut, and their number of years as active players. Table 1 3,000 career Hits MLB debut age Number of years as an active player Pete Rose(10) ○ 22 24 Ichiro(10) ○ 27 19 Ty Cobb(9) ○ 18 24 Willie Keeler(8) × 20 19 Lou Gehrig(8) × 20 17 Paul Waner(8) ○ 23 19 Derek Jeter(8) ○ 21 20 Wade Boggs(7) ○ 24 18 Rogers Hornsby(7) × 19 23 Charlie Gehringer(7) × 21 19 Sam Rice(6) × 25 20 Al Simmons(6) × 22 20 Stan Musial(6) ○ 20 22 Bill Terry(6) × 24 14 Steve Garvey(6) × 20 19 Jesse Burkett(6) × 21 16 Michael Young(6) × 23 14 Tony Gwynn(5) ○ 22 20 Kirby Puckett(5) × 24 12 Chuck Klein(5) × 23 17 ( ): number of times with 200 or more hits in a season Surprisingly, 12 out of 20 players have not achieved 3,000 career hits. All 20 of these players are undoubtedly outstanding at hitting, so why is this the result? The age at which they debuted in Major League Baseball doesn’t seem to be a factor (Ichiro is the only one who stands out for being relatively late, at 27 years old). However, it is safe to say that the number of years they played in Major League Baseball is a significant factor. Of the 12 players who did not achieve 3,000 career hits, 9 played for less than 20 years, and of the remaining 4, 3 played for exactly 20 years. Only one (Rogers Hornsby) played for 23 years. The same can be said for the 8 players who have achieved 3,000 career hits. Of those 8, only 3 played for less than 20 years (Ichiro, Paul Waner, and Wade Boggs), and all three of these players are exceptionally talented, having recorded 200 or more hits in a single season at least 7 times. The two players who achieved 3,000 career hits with fewer than seven seasons of 200 or more hits (Stan Musial and Tony Gwynn) had careers of 20 years or more. Pete Rose and Ty Cobb are exceptions, as they both achieved not just 3,000 career hits, but 4,000, despite having 10 and 9 seasons of 200 or more hits respectively, and having long careers of 24 years. In summary, excluding exceptionally talented players who have achieved 200 or more hits in a single season seven or more times, even if a player achieves 200 or more hits in a single year multiple times, it seems that he would need to continue playing as an active player for 20 years or more to reach 3,000 career hits. Table 2 summarizes the age at which the 33 players achieved 3,000 career hits made their MLB debut, their age when they achieved 3,000 career hits, and the number of times they achieved 200 or more hits in a single season. Table 2 MLB debut age Age at the time of achieving 3,000 career hits Number of times with 200 or more hits in a season Pete Rose 22 37 10 Ty Cobb 18 34 9 Hank Aaron 20 36 3 Stan Musial 20 37 6 Tris Speaker 19 37 4 Derek Jeter 21 37 8 Carl Yastrzemski 22 40 0 Honus Wagner 23 40 2 Albert Pujols 21 38 1 Paul Molitor 22 40 4 Eddie Collins 19 38 1 Willie Mays 20 39 1 Eddie Murray 21 39 0 Nap Lajoie 22 39 4 Cal Ripken, Jr. 21 39 2 Miguel Cabrera 20 39 1 Adrian Beltre 19 38 1 George Brett 20 39 2 Paul Waner 23 39 8 Robin Yount 19 36 1 Tony Gwynn 22 39 5 Alex Rodriguez 19 39 3 Dave Winfield 22 41 0 Ichiro 27 42 10 Craig Biggio 22 41 1 Rickey Henderson 20 42 1 Rod Carew 22 39 4 Lou Brock 22 40 4 Rafael Palmeiro 22 40 1 Cap Anson 19 42 0 Wade Boggs 24 41 7 Al Kaline 18 39 1 Roberto Clemente 21 38 4 This table shows that, with the exception of Ty Cobb, who made his MLB debut at age 18 and achieved 3,000 career hits at age 34, all of the remaining 32 players achieved 3,000 career hits between the ages of 36 and 42, largely unrelated to their MLB debut age. More specifically, 21 players achieved 3,000 career hits between the ages of 36 and 39, and 11 players achieved 3,000 hits after age 40. The number of seasons with 200 or more hits doesn’t seem to have a strong correlation with the age at which they achieved 3,000 career hits. However, the four players who had never achieved 200 or more hits in a season achieved 3,000 career hits at a later age (one at age 39, and three after age 40, at the latest by the age of 42). Finally, let’s look at active players based on the findings so far. Table 3 summarizes the top 5 active players in career hits (the career hit totals for these five players are as of the end of last season). Furthermore, these five players were the only ones to have achieved 2,000 career hits at the end of last season. Table 3 Career hits MLB debut age Number of times with 200 or more hits in a season Current age Freddie Freeman 2,431 21 0 36 Jose Altuve 2,388 21 4 35 Andrew McCutchen 2,266 22 0 39 Paul Goldschmidt 2,190 24 0 38 Manny Machado 2,069 20 0 33 I’d like to consider whether these five players can reach 3,000 career hits. ...I know it’s very presumptuous and rude to do something like this, but as a fan, I’m interested, and I have plenty of respect for these five players, so please forgive me. Of these five players, only Jose Altuve has achieved 200 or more hits in a season, but only four times, not seven or more. This means that, following the precedents mentioned earlier, he would need to play for 20 years or more as an active player to reach 3,000 career hits. The remaining four have never achieved over 200 hits in a season, so, following the precedents, they would reach 3,000 career hits at the earliest at age 39, and usually after age 40, at the latest by the age of 42. A book that concisely and clearly depicts the life of Jose Altuve as a Major League Baseball player by Jon M. Fishman (Lerner Classroom, 2017) Considering these conditions, along with their current ages and career hit totals up to last year, Altuve seems to have the highest probability of reaching 3,000 career hits, followed by Freeman. Machado’s career hit total is still about 1,000 away from 3,000, and he’s still young at 33, so it’s difficult to predict, but if he continues playing until he’s 40 or older, he might reach 3,000 career hits. Considering McCutchen and Goldschmidt’s current ages and career hit totals up to last year, even if they continue playing until they’re 42, it seems quite difficult for them to reach 3,000 career hits. These are all my personal, arbitrary predictions based solely on past examples. Only God knows whether these predictions will come true. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In the summer of 2016, I was driving east on I-10 (Interstate 10) near the Gulf of Mexico (now the Gulf of America) across the vast state of Texas. As I finally left Texas and entered the neighboring state of Louisiana, I suddenly had a thought. “That’s a good opportunity to visit the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. I’m sure there will be an exhibit about the man who created a new tradition. It’s strange that I haven’t tried to visit it before.” So, in the middle of I-10, I got on I-49 and started heading north toward the inland. And I arrived in the city of Natchitoches. It is a city of just under 20,000 people. After driving through the campus of Northwestern State University, I came out into the quaint and stylish old town. I drove slowly to the edge of the old town, admiring the large American flags that many of the stores on both sides of the main street were flying. I was a bit surprised when I saw the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum at the edge of the old town. It was a modern building, completely different from the atmosphere of the old town. But after looking at it for a while, I started to think, “It might be pretty cool to have a building like this at the edge of the old town.” Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame & Northwest Louisiana History Museum I paid $5.15 to get into the museum. I first asked the white lady at the reception desk, "How do you pronounce the name of this city?" "It's Nackatish." "Nackatish?" "No. it's Nackatish." Come on, I mean, it's Nackatish, right? Is this lady trying to make fun of me? No way a receptionist would do something like that. I asked again, "Could you please pronounce it more slowly?" "Nack-atish." "Nack-atish?" "Yes." "Okay, could you please pronounce it normally again?" "Nackatish." "Nackatish?" "No. it’s Nackatish." "……Never mind, I get it. I guess it just means I have problems with my English hearing and pronunciation." The museum was awfully quiet. Even though it was summer tourist season, there were only a few visitors. On the first floor, there were displays of Hall of Fame inductees from various sports and the years they were inducted, as well as an exhibition of some Louisiana team sports. The main exhibition area was on the second floor. There were exhibits of various sports: golf, American football, basketball, boxing, winter sports, tennis, horse racing, hunting... At the very back, there was also an exhibition about the history of northwest Louisiana. This building is not only a sports hall of fame, but also a museum of northwest Louisiana history. There was a section on baseball. Newspaper articles, uniforms, and bats were displayed in glass-covered display cases. Of course, there were also brief biographies and photographs of famous players from Louisiana. For example, Mel Ott (died in 1958 at the age of 49), a great player with 511 home runs in his career. For example, Lou Brock (died in 2020 at the age of 81), a great player with 3,023 career hits and the title of stolen base leader 8 times. For example, Albert Belle( now 59 years old ), a great player who was the home run leader once and the RBI leader three times, and is the fourth player in history to achieve the feat of hitting 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for eight consecutive seasons. Albert Belle exhibit There were no displays of active major leaguers, but that didn’t bother me. It was enough because there was an exhibition of the important man. Ron Guidry. A great pitcher who played for the New York Yankees in the 1970s and 1980s. His performance in 1978 in particular was so amazing that it could be said that he will go down in baseball history. He won 25 games, earning the titles of most wins and best ERA. He also won the Cy Young Award. Guidry’s uniform number 49 has been retired by the Yankees. Ron Guidry exhibit By the way, I learned something for the first time when I read “Memories of Yankee Stadium”(2008) by Scott Pitoniak, a famous American journalist. It is about Guidry, who started in a game on June 17, 1978. In that game, Ron Guidry set a team record with 18 strikeouts and led the team to a 4-0 victory. The Yankee Stadium tradition of fans clapping when a Yankees pitcher gets two strikes began with this game. Japanese translation version of “Memories of Yankee Stadium” by Scott Pitoniak (translated by Midori Matsui, Hayakawa Publishing Corporation, 2008) Nowadays, it is an established tradition in every Major League Baseball stadium that when a pitcher has two strikes, fans clap in the hope of striking out the batter, but it could be said that the tradition that began at Yankee Stadium, which was created by Ron Guidry in 1978, was the forerunner of this tradition in every Major League Baseball stadium. While many of the photographs on display at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame are in color, Guidry’s photo was in black and white. I liked that, because somehow I felt that black and white photograph suited Guidry, who was always taciturn, better than color photograph. ( If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

I think “Every Pitcher Tells a Story” by Seth Swirsky is a wonderful book. It’s rare to find such an entertaining and thought-provoking book about Major League Baseball. “EVERY PITCHER TELLS A STORY” by Seth Swirsky (1999, Times Books, Random House) This book primarily features answers from Major League pitchers to the author’s questions. Each pitcher’s case is without exception fascinating and thought-provoking, but here I’d like to focus on Steve Carlton’s case. Steve Carlton was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 24 years from 1965 to 1988, primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. His 329 career wins rank him 11th in history, second among left-handed pitchers behind Warren Spahn. His 4,136 career strikeouts rank him fourth in history and second among left-handed pitchers behind Randy Johnson. He won the Cy Young Award four times. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. In short, Steve Carlton is a great pitcher whose name will forever remain in history. The 1972 Philadelphia Phillies had a terrible record of 59 wins and 97 losses, but Steve Carlton had a great season in his first year with the Phillies, winning the pitching Triple Crown and the Cy Young Award. This is described in a wonderful book, "STEVE CARLTON and the 1972 PHILLIES," by Bruce Morgan (2012, McFarland & Company, Inc.) However, Carlton will also go down in history for something extremely unique. He had a poor relationship with the media, and for eight years, from 1978 to 1986, he didn’t speak to the media - not a word. There is probably no other major leaguer like him. So why did this happen? In the aforementioned book, Seth Swirsky asked Steve Carlton what went into his decision not to speak to the media. Carlton answered: “My decision not to speak to the media was not the result of any one incident.” It seems that he stopped speaking to the media because of a series of unpleasant incidents, such as the media reporting on his personal life and media breaching the trust that came with their access to him. These things make me think about media coverage and reporting, but what struck me most and made me think deeply were Carlton’s final words: “Looking back, I think that the writing was better and definitely more creative after I stopped speaking to the media.” These are wonderful, thought-provoking words that make me think about what media reporting really is. Such wonderful words could only come from a man who, despite being a top-class major leaguer, had the courage to not say a word to the media for years, and only someone with a great intelligence could say them. I can’t help but imagine what would happen to media coverage of Major League Baseball if all major leaguers simultaneously stopped speaking to the media. Would the content be better and more creative than it is now? We’ll never know what would actually happen, because it’s unlikely that any major leaguer will ever remain silent for as long as Carlton. Steve Carlton was not only a great baseball player, but also a brilliant intellect, and I applaud Seth Swirsky for bringing out Carlton’s intellect so well. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In June 2013, I was on a road trip through 12 states in the Southern and Midwestern United States, and during that trip I visited Royston, Georgia, a city of about 2,500 people. As I was driving down a road through the center of Royston, I noticed a large painting on the wall of a building facing the road, and I thought to myself with a grin, "As I thought, this man is very famous in this city." I parked my car to take photos of the painting. Ty Cobb painted on the wall of a building The painting depicted the face of a legendary man who continues to shine brightly in the history of Major League Baseball, as well as his batting and base running. Royston is known as the hometown of this legendary man, and there is even a museum commemorating him. My goal was to visit the museum. Ty Cobb (died in 1961 at age 74) was the man who led the league in batting average 12 times (including nine consecutive years), had a career batting average of .367 (some say it was .366), and set an astonishing Major League record of batting above .300 for 23 consecutive years. On the other hand, it is said that no man in Major League history was more hated by players and fans than Ty Cobb. He is said to have threatened defensive players by using his sharpened spikes to kick them up while sliding while running the bases, and to have attacked fans who heckled him. Even in American novels and films, Ty Cobb seems to be portrayed more as a hated man than as a great man with an incredible record. After taking photos of the painting on the wall of a building, I drove through the city center to the museum. When I arrived at the museum, I was surprised because it was located in a corner of the building that houses the Ty Cobb Healthcare System. What does Ty Cobb have to do with healthcare? A sign reading "Ty Cobb Healthcare System" When I entered the building, I asked a young white woman working at the reception desk, which also served as a souvenir shop in front of the museum. "What does Ty Cobb have to do with healthcare? I’m a doctor from Japan and I’m really interested in this stuff." The young woman asked with a smile, "What kind of doctor are you?" I replied,  "I’m a pathologist." By the way, I think the woman’s explanation for the crucial question can be briefly summarized as follows (If I’m wrong, it’s not her fault, but my own mishearing. I’d appreciate it if you could point out any errors): Ty Cobb, together with his longtime friend, Dr. Stewart D. Brown, worked hard to build a fine hospital with modern facilities in Royston. Ty Cobb generously donated a large amount of money to make this a reality. The hospital, completed in 1950, was named "Cobb Memorial Hospital" (this hospital has since closed and moved to a distant location). In recognition of Ty Cobb’s contributions to healthcare, a wealthy man named Joe A. Adams decided to establish a "Ty Cobb Museum" in the building of a new healthcare system he founded in Royston in 1998. Ty Cobb also established a scholarship fund for young people in Georgia. Apparently, this scholarship fund still provides $700,000 a year to over 300 young people. As I was amazed at this unexpected side of Ty Cobb, the woman asked, "Do you know how Mr. Cobb was able to make such large donations even though his annual salary during his playing days was not that great?" I answered with a grin, "Yes, I know." The woman then grinned and said, "We have an exhibit about that at the museum." I went into the museum wondering what kind of exhibit it was. The entrance to the building housing the Ty Cobb Museum Me standing at the entrance to the Ty Cobb Museum When Ty Cobb was playing in Major League Baseball, players were not paid the high annual salaries they are today. So how was Ty Cobb able to make such large donations and set up scholarship funds? It was because he was talented not only at baseball, but also in stock investment. He boldly took on high-risk stock investments and became very wealthy. It is said that he made a huge success by investing in Coca-Cola in its early days. The museum had an exhibition corner dedicated to Coca-Cola and Ty Cobb, including Ty Cobb’s appearance in a Coca-Cola promotional poster and his own collection of Coca-Cola bottles..... It’s really cool that a museum can set up an exhibition corner like this. I don’t drink any cokes (because I love coffee), but when I see an exhibition corner like this, I think I should drink Coca-Cola every once in a while. Exhibit section dedicated to Coca-Cola and Ty Cobb I spent over two hours looking around not only the Coca-Cola exhibit but the entire museum. For a museum of this type, it was quite comprehensive. There were detailed exhibits about Ty Cobb’s upbringing and things unrelated to baseball. But the largest space was, of course, devoted to the baseball exhibits. There were many displays of baseball equipment used by Ty Cobb, including uniforms, bats, and gloves, as well as numerous photographs. A photo of Ty Cobb, his uniform, bat, cleats, and glove from his playing days on display Photographs showcasing Ty Cobb’s batting and baserunning style Portrait of Ty Cobb Of all these exhibits, the one I liked best was a bit unexpected. It was a piece of writing casually displayed in a corner of the museum. It was said to be a quote from Ty Cobb. "If you give a boy a baseball, he will never throw a rock.”  I think it’s a wonderful, profound statement. Could it really be that the man who uttered such words had such an odd personality? Ty Cobb’s words After leaving the museum, I stopped by the reception desk, which also served as a souvenir shop. As I was browsing for souvenirs, the young woman I had seen earlier called out to me, "This book is good, too." It was a book written by Ty Cobb’s grandson about his memories of his grandfather. The woman continued, "It’s a recently published book. About a month ago, the author came to Royston for a book signing and sold 85 copies in two hours. That’s quite unusual for such a small town." I asked the woman, "Doesn’t Ty Cobb’s grandson live in Royston?" "He lives in Florida. He came all the way from Florida for the book signing." I bought a copy. It was autographed by the author. After buying quite a few souvenirs, I asked the woman, "I want to go to Rose Hill Cemetery. Can you tell me where it is?" The woman was kind enough to even draw me a map. She then said, "You’ll find the Cobb family grave easily. It’s exceptionally large and impressive." "I know that too, because I’ve seen the movie." I was referring to the 1994 Ty Cobb biopic. When I mentioned the movie, the woman immediately said, "That’s a terrible movie."   When I heard the woman’s thoughts on the film, I could only smile wryly and say nothing, because I thought the film was a fantastic masterpiece. When I arrived at Rose Hill Cemetery, I was able to find the Cobb family grave right away. It was a really big and impressive grave. Several times larger than the surrounding graves. The Cobb family grave at Rose Hill Cemetery When I saw the grave, I thought, "It’s just like the movie." And I thought about the various aspects of Ty Cobb. Ty Cobb, who is generally considered a terrible person, Ty Cobb, who donated large sums of money to build a hospital, Ty Cobb, who left behind a scholarship program for young people, Ty Cobb, who left behind a wonderful, profound statement. I bowed in prayer in front of the grave, took a photo, and then left Rose Hill Cemetery and the city of Royston. My visit to Royston made me realize once again how difficult it is to properly evaluate people. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In Japan, there is a famous saying that has been passed down in relation to baseball. It is known by all baseball fans, and it is not uncommon to hear it uttered by announcers and commentators during live broadcasts of baseball games on radio and television, even during live broadcasts of Major League Baseball games. The saying goes, “The most entertaining score in baseball is 8 to 7.” Is this also said in the United States? I have never heard of it being said in United States. So, is this saying true? Who first coined the phrase, and on what basis? In Japan, it’s believed to have been first coined by U.S. President Roosevelt. “As President Roosevelt said, the most entertaining score in a baseball game is 8 to 7,” is often heard not only among baseball fans but also on radio and television broadcasts. So, who was it, the 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, or the 32nd president, Franklin Roosevelt? While the overwhelming majority of Japanese people believe it was Franklin Roosevelt, there are also quite a few who believe it was Theodore Roosevelt. Regardless of which group they were, none of them knew the solid basis or original source for saying that President Roosevelt said it. Many people wanted to know the basis or source but didn’t know, and there were baseball experts who tried hard to find out but just couldn’t figure it out. No. 075 of Weekly 100 People Who Made History: Franklin Roosevelt (in Japanese, K.K. DeAgostini Japan, 2004) I was the first in Japan to discover which President Roosevelt was correct, and the basis and source, and published my findings in the Asahi Shimbun (a well–known national newspaper in Japan) on September 24, 2014, but it seems that quite a few people have not read the article. I found the basis and original source on the Internet that President Franklin Roosevelt first said it. The website is written below, so if you would like to see it for yourself, please go to the link below: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/letter-baseball-sports-and-sportsmanship On January 23, 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt wrote a letter to New York Times reporter James P. Dawson. It was an apology for being unable to attend the 14th annual dinner of the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, but it also passionately detailed his passion for baseball. Toward the end of the letter, after explaining that while he doesn’t dislike 1–0 pitching duels, he prefers games with a large number of runs, he writes the phrase that became the basis for a famous Japanese saying: “In short, my idea of ​​the best game is one that guarantees the fans a combined score of not less than 15 runs, divided about eight to seven.” I’m sure that after someone once introduced this phrase to Japan, the saying “The most entertaining score in baseball is 8–7” has become established in Japan. However, reading this letter, it becomes clear that what President Franklin Roosevelt wrote has a different nuance than the saying that became famous in Japan. Whatever the case may be, when many people spread something without properly checking the original source, a different nuance from the actual meaning becomes established in society. I think that the famous Japanese saying discussed here is one such common example. Even now, there are many people in Japan who say, “The most entertaining score in baseball is 8–7.” It is difficult to change something once it has been established. Is the content of this letter from President Franklin Roosevelt widely known among Major League Baseball fans in the United States? (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

"Baseball: A History of America’ s Favorite Game" by George Vecsey is a fantastic book, and I think it’ s a must—read for anyone interested in Major League Baseball or who is thinking about becoming interested in it. “Baseball: A History of America’ s Favorite Game” by George Vecsey (2008, Random House Publishing Group) Japanese translation version of “Baseball: A History of America’ s Favorite Game” (translated by Yasuo Suzuki, Random House Kodansha Co., Ltd., 2007)   There is a sentence in this fantastic book that surprised me a little: "While my employer, the New York Times, does not permit reporters to vote for any award —a sensible policy, since the Times wants us to report news, not make it—we are allowed to express our opinions.” I’ m sure there are many people who read this article and think, "That’ s certainly a wise policy, as expected from The New York Times." However, I’ m not impressed. I have a lot of respect for the New York Times and think it’s a great newspaper, but I don’ t think that policy is appropriate for a prestigious newspaper like the New York Times. It would be a major problem if reporters fabricated news or distorted the facts when reporting it. If they did that, I would get angry and say, "Stop making up the news!" However, I think that reporters voting for awards is fundamentally different from those things, and I don’t feel angry at all. I don’ t think there’ s any problem as long as the voting results aren’t fabricated or distorted, and it’ s announced in advance that the decision will be made by voting. If those conditions are met, I would actually encourage reporters to vote. For example, the MVP of Major League Baseball is selected by a vote of members of the Baseball Writers’  Association of America (though New York Times reporters probably do not vote in accordance with company policy). This selection method is made public in advance, and everyone acknowledges that the voting results are not fabricated or distorted. So I don’ t see anything wrong with this selection method. However, I sometimes get angry at the voting results, because sometimes a player other than the one I had in mind is chosen. Passionate Major League Baseball fans have their own opinions, and they can get angry no matter who selects which player as MVP. I believe that only newspaper reporters are worthy of taking on the task of selecting the MVP, even if it means incurring such anger, and I want newspaper reporters to take on the task with dignity and have the courage and pride to do so. The New York Times is a great newspaper, so I want its reporters to have that kind of courage and pride. ...Because newspaper reporters select the MVP, I can get as angry as I want, because I trust newspaper reporters. If someone other than newspaper reporters were to select the MVP, I wouldn’t have that kind of trust, so my anger might end up being half—hearted. That would be boring. Finally, there is something I really want to say. I don’ t think the New York Times realizes something important: the articles it publishes become news. For example, what the New York Times writes in its editorials is broadcast around the world as news. Even in Japan, when various issues are discussed, it is not uncommon to hear people say, "This is what the New York Times says." For example, which books the New York Times Book Review features as the subject of its review becomes news, as do which books make it onto the bestseller list and which don’ t. Furthermore, New York Times reporters can also become news. For example, the Cuban Missile Crisis is an unforgettable event for people of my generation. In the film "Thirteen Days," which depicts the Kennedy administration’ s response to the crisis, New York Times reporter James Reston appears as a newspaper reporter who provides incisive coverage of the Kennedy administration. For example, there is an award in memory of James P. Dawson, a reporter for The New York Times, “James P. Dawson Award”. Introduced in 1956, this award is presented annually to the New York Yankees’ best rookie at the end of spring training. The winner makes the news, and James P. Dawson’ s name is always mentioned in the news....Speaking of which, my next column will be about the historical fact in which James P. Dawson played an important role. As a great respecter of the New York Times, I would like to see New York Times reporters vote for Major League Baseball—related awards. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

In 2008, while driving around the United States, I stopped off in Minneapolis, Minnesota, because there was a place I really wanted to see. Since 1982, the home stadium of the Minnesota Twins, a major league baseball team in Minneapolis, Minnesota, had been the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly known as the Metrodome), but since 2010 it has been the newly constructed Target Field. So, what was the home stadium before the Metrodome? And what is it like now? Until 1981, the Twins played at Metropolitan Stadium. That stadium was demolished and its site became the Mall of America, one of the largest shopping malls in the United States. I wanted to visit this Mall of America. The main entrance to the Mall of America I wasn’t particularly surprised when I saw the Mall of America’s exterior and the flashy sign at the entrance. There are malls of a similar size in Japan, and I’ve seen flashy signs there too. But when I went inside, I was blown away. There was a great theme park with attractions for both adults and children, and even a roller coaster. It was truly eye-opening. I had never seen such an amazing shopping mall in Japan. A theme park with a roller coaster inside the mall Now, there was something on the floor of the walkway in the theme park that excited me. A monument has been installed where the home plate of the Metropolitan Stadium once stood. It’s a monument in the shape of home plate. But unfortunately, I was the only one whose heart was excited by the home plate monument. Some people noticed and stopped, or glanced at it, but most people just walked past without noticing. Quite a few people even stepped on the home plate monument. "Hey! Don’t step on something sacred!" I thought, but there was nothing I could do. Everyone has different interests, after all. Someone trampling on the home plate monument My heart pounding, I approached the home plate monument. I stood quietly to the right of home plate. And thus, amidst the bustling theme park, I found myself standing in the right-handed batter’s box at the Metropolitan Stadium. I then cast my eyes in the direction of where the Metropolitan Stadium’s outfield seats once stood.... Me standing to the right of home plate On June 3, 1967, Minnesota Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew, standing in the right-handed batter’s box at Metropolitan Stadium, hit an incredible 520-foot home run. The outfield seat where the ball hit still remains. To commemorate Killebrew’s epic home run, the seat was relocated to its original location in the theme park. However, standing in the right-handed batter’s box at the old Metropolitan Stadium, I couldn’t see the seat because the theme park’s attractions blocked my view. I trudged toward the seat. The seat was displayed quite high up on the wall of the theme park, It was painted red. However, there was a water chute in front of the wall, so I could only see the red seat from afar. I tried to take a photo of the red seat, but no matter how I tried to zoom in on my digital camera, it only appeared tiny. The red painted seat I got on the water chute to get a closer shot of the red seat. Photography is prohibited in the water chute, but I pretended not to know that rule. The water chute was swaying, and the water was splashing, so my photos were out of focus and full of water droplets. I tried three times, but failed. The water chute attendant noticed my violation of the rules, but he didn’t get angry, just smiled and let me do what I wanted. Thank you! After leaving the theme park, I was taking pictures of the red seat from the third floor of the Mall of America when someone called out to me from behind. I turned around and saw three smiling black men, likely in their twenties, standing there. One of them said, "What are you so intent on taking pictures of?" I briefly explained the history of the red seat, and that I had come from Japan to see it. The men seemed to know nothing about the red seat, and were surprised to hear my story. They were also surprised that I had come all the way from Japan to see it so enthusiastically. One of the men said, "I’ll take a picture of you with the red seat in the background." Me with the red painted seat in the background After the photo shoot, I shook hands with all three men and said goodbye. Then I returned to the theme park and had a great time. My time at Mall of America has become a wonderful memory for me. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

This time, I’d like to talk about baseball slang. As a Japanese person living in Japan, I’m not sure how often what’s known as English baseball slang is actually used in the United States. Let me give you some examples of such slang. 1) The protagonist of the American film “Meet John Doe” (1941) starring Gary Cooper is a baseball player. As for what level of baseball player he is, the protagonist himself refers to himself as a “bush league” baseball player. In this old 1941 film, the term “bush league” is used to mean minor league, but is the term “bush league” still used in everyday life to mean minor league in the United States? DVD of the movie “Meet John Doe” (Japanese version) Speaking of which, the term “bush league” is included in English-Japanese dictionaries published in Japan, and is explained as minor league slang, but I think very few Major League Baseball fans in Japan are aware that “bush league” is slang for minor league. 2) In the American film “The Rookie” (2002) starring Dennis Quaid, there is a scene in which the protagonist, the manager of a high school baseball team, comes out of the dugout to announce a pitcher change during the game and shouts “Blue!” Furthermore, there is a scene in a minor league game where the manager comes out of the dugout to announce a pitcher change and shouts “Blue!” DVD of the movie “The Rookie” (Japanese version) I once read in a book that, because baseball umpires wear blue uniforms, “blue” has long been slang for umpire in the United States. Even in The Rookie, which was made in 2002, the term “blue” seems to be used to mean umpire, but is the term still actually used to mean umpire in the United States today? And is this something that all baseball fans in the United States know?   Speaking of which, I don’t think there are many Major League Baseball fans in Japan who know that blue is slang for umpire; it’s not even listed in English-Japanese dictionaries published in Japan. Now, onto the main topic of this article. “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” (2003) by Michael Lewis is a masterpiece of nonfiction. It was so fascinating that I read it in one sitting with excitement. I don’t think I need to explain what it’s about, since any baseball fan knows it. “MONEYBALL” by Michael Lewis (Japanese translation version, translated by Yu Nakayama, Random House Kodansha Co., Ltd., 2004) There’s just one thing that bothers me about this wonderful book: the title. I once read in a book that there is a slang term in the United States called “money ball,” which means “home run.” So, to me, the title doesn’t seem to fit the purpose and content of this book. To be clear, this is just my personal opinion and may be wrong. It seems that there are several other slang terms for “home run” in the United States that have existed for a long time. Let me introduce one more of them. “MADE IN AMERICA: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States” by Bill Bryson (1994) is a masterpiece that explains a great many words in various fields in the United States. It was while reading this book that I first learned of a slang term for home run: “dial 8.” ...In hotels in the United States, when making a long-distance call from a room, it was required to dial 8 first. So, “dial 8” became slang for a home run because the ball of a home run flied a long distance. However, I think this slang has fallen out of use recently, as I think that nowadays how to make a long-distance call changed and most hotels and motels in the United States require long distance calls to be made by dialing 9 first. “MADE IN AMERICA” by Bill Bryson (Japanese translation version, translated by Tetsuo Kinoshita, Kawade Shobo Shinsha Publishers inc., 1997) But is “dial 8” still used as slang for a home run in the United States? And do all baseball fans in the United States know that “dial 8” is slang for a home run? (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)

The home run-robbing catch, where an outfielder jumps at the fence to catch a ball that is far enough away to be a home run and make an out, is a truly fascinating play for fans. It may even be said that this is the play in outfield defense that delights fans the most. Unfortunately, however, home run-robbing catches are extremely rare in Japanese professional baseball. Because the outfield fences are so high in Japan, outfielders often can’t make home run-robbing catches simply by jumping. To pull it off, they have to climb the fence or even stand at the top of it. Here, I’d like to introduce a spectacular example of a home run-robbing catch made by actually climbing the fence and placing one foot on top of the fence. This home run-robbing catch was made by Hankyu Braves outfielder Masafumi Yamamori during a game between the Hankyu Braves (now the Orix Buffaloes) and the Lotte Orions (now the Chiba Lotte Marines) at Nishinomiya Stadium on September 16, 1981. This home run-robbing catch apparently stunned baseball figures in the United States, and the video of this play is now being shown at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. I was delighted to see the video playing when I visited the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Below is the YouTube link for this home run-robbing catch, so please take a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv2nO7QHwCs On the other hand, at Major League Baseball stadiums, the outfield fences are often low, so it’s not that uncommon to see a home run-robbing catch. In the United States, children undoubtedly often watch these home run-robbing catch scenes on television, and it seems that it’s not uncommon for children to dream of one day becoming a Major League outfielder who can make a masterful home run-robbing catch. Here, I’d like to introduce a scene from the American film ““It Could Happen to You” (1994). The protagonist invites a group of young boys to Yankee Stadium, which he has rented out, and the boys want to make home run-robbing catches. However, because the boys are short, they can’t make home run-robbing catches by simply jumping. So what do they do? They grab the ball in their gloves, jump onto a trampoline placed in front of the fence, and have their photo taken as they jump over the fence. They want to go to such lengths to feel like they’ve made home run-robbing catches. DVD of the movie “It Could Happen to You” (Japanese version) When I was a child, I used to dream of becoming a professional baseball player and hitting a walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. But, in today’s Japan, where Major League Baseball games can be watched on television almost every day, children may dream of becoming a Major League outfielder and making a home run-robbing catch. (If I’ve made a mistake or left out something important, please let me know. I’ll try to make corrections or additions.)