We are devastated to learn of Marty Kuehnert’s passing. Marty was a connector of people, a loving father and husband, and a tremendous global ambassador for the game of baseball.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Marty played baseball at and graduated from Stanford University, where he participated in an exchange program that brought him to Japan. He was a trailblazing figure in Japanese sports and became the first non-Japanese General Manager in NPB history with the expansion Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2004.
He also served as Senior General Manager of the Sendai 89ers in Japan’s top basketball league. His career spanned roles as a writer, TV host, actor, sports management consultant, and university professor, with experience on both sides of the Pacific.
Marty was a great friend of JapanBall and will be dearly missed. Please read on for some memories and reflections of Marty’s passing from members of the JapanBall community.
JapanBall founder Bob Bavasi: Marty Kuehnert was a true Renaissance man, knowledgeable and talented in a wide variety of fields. He was tirelessly gracious to JapanBall.com and our guests, as he helped introduce them to the in-person experience of Japanese Baseball. You simply could not ask for a better friend than Marty – and he was that friend to so many grateful souls.
Journalist and JapanBall Hall-of-Famer Carter Cromwell: I only had a couple of interactions with Marty. The first was when our group was on the 2019 JapanBall tour. He came to the game in Sendai and spent quite a bit of time with us, not only patiently answering our questions but adding a number of stories and insights that he didn’t have to. He went above and beyond, which added a lot to the meeting.
The second was when I was writing an article for JapanBall in the wake of the death of former NPB pitcher Choji Murata. I approached Marty to see if I could interview him to get his thoughts about Murata. He graciously agreed and spent about 40 minutes with me – far longer than I’d expected – and again gave me some great insights.
Author Jerry Halvorsen: I met Marty for the first time at Sapporo Dome during a game between the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and the Tohoku Golden Eagles. I was sitting next to Marie Hillman, wife of then Fighters’ manager Trey Hillman. We were able to give Marty a little ribbing as the Fighters were winning handily. The last time I saw him was in 2018 in Sendai. I had just ruptured my Achilles tendon a couple of days before my trip and went to Sendai in a wheelchair. I was with friends and ran into Marty at the top of Aoyama while he was with former Rakuten player, Louis Okoye. Marty and Louis graciously agreed to pose for several photos and Marty even pushed me around a little in my wheelchair. He will be missed.
Sportswriter Scott Melesky: I contributed a chapter for a book on the MLB Japanese Tours and my chapter was on the Mets vs Cubs series that Marty did TV commentary for. He was gracious in the interview and I really appreciated the time he took to talk to me. He will be greatly missed.
JapanBall Hall-of-Famer Susan McCormac: My fondest memories of Marty are the times when he and Kyoko opened their home to the JapanBall tour group after Rakuten Golden Eagles games in Sendai. Marty grilled outside, sharing baseball stories, while Kyoko plied us with seemingly endless servings of food and drink. I love the sense of community—of family—that they created for us. Marty taught me so much about the inner workings of Japanese baseball, and I am in awe of all the things he accomplished during his decades in Japan. He was a true Renaissance man. I will miss his wisdom, and I’ll treasure our friendship forever. I hope he and Wayne Graczyk are having a beer and sharing stories together in Heaven.
JapanBall News Correspondent Trevor Raichura: Before I had ever been recognized by the Japanese press or anything, Marty Kuehnert had an eye out for me. It was October 2017, and Randy Bass was in Japan doing several promotional events. As Bass’ agent, Marty knew better than anyone how tight their schedule was, and yet he still reached out to me by email and said, “We are staying at ___ Hotel in Osaka, and we have about 30 minutes of free time between engagements. If you want to come to the hotel and meet us, Randy says he’ll make 15 minutes for you.” And so that is what I did – headed to the hotel, filled with giddiness. What self-respecting Hanshin Tigers fan would turn down this opportunity? I got to meet Marty and Randy for the first time that evening, had a great conversation, and was able to build upon that first meeting. Marty made time for me in Sendai last year and I got to hear more about his fascinating life story. He gave me a chance to interpret for Randy Bass even though he knew every answer the man would give before the question was even completed. I appreciated Marty’s willingness to give me some really important opportunities in the baseball world here in Japan, and am saddened by this loss. My condolences to the entire Kuehnert family.
JapanBall Hall-of-Famer and former sportswriter Ken Sins: I only met Marty a few times. Those few were memorable. He patiently answered my questions concerning his unique perspective as a once-outsider in Japanese baseball. I gained invaluable insight into strategy, player development, cultural differences, and so much more. I’m saddened that my next visit to Tokyo will not include a beer with Marty.
JapanBall Cultural Liaison and Tour Guide Mayumi Nishiyama Smith: I first met Marty 24 years ago when Bob started JapanBall, and he helped and contributed tremendously to JapanBall’s success by giving many presentations, met with JapanBall participants, hosted JapanBall guests at his home, etc.
As everyone knows, he was an incredibly unique multi-talented individual who accomplished a lot in many fields and there are so many of his fans all over the world. I am lucky to have witnessed many of his accomplishments. He was the first foreign general manager in Japanese professional baseball, had a TV program called Marty’s Corner that interviewed sportsman, he was an actor, published many books, was a judge for the essay contest, was a senior advisor to a Japanese professional basketball team, was a professor at Tohoku university and Sendai University to mention a few.
I still remember the honor when I first met him. Those days, NHK aired the popular drama called Sakura in which Marty had a part, and it was a very exciting for me when the character showed up in front of me! When he showed up at the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, so many fans gathered together to get his autograph outside and inside the arena.
He was a very famous celebrity and he touched many people’s hearts by his generosity and kindness. I am honored to have known Marty and call him my dear friend. With my deepest condolences, Mayumi Nishiyama Smith.
Author Robert Whiting: I have known Marty personally since the 1970s and was always impressed by his energy and his unflagging zest for life, as well as his love of all sports (with the notable exception of soccer, which he thought a pointless exercise and gleefully lambasted in print). He set a good example on how to live an active, productive life. I will miss him and so will the many others who lives he touched while he was here on earth. My deepest sympathies to his wife Kyoko and other family members.
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