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“Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful” by Yuriko Gamo Romer
San Francisco-based Yuriko Gamo Romer is an extraordinarily talented documentary filmmaker – someone who knows how to combine storytelling and research into a beautifully-presented piece of art.
Released in 2012, “Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful,” is a biographical documentary about Keiko Fukuda, the first woman to attain the 10th degree black belt in judo. This film traveled to more than 25 film festivals internationally and was awarded the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary at the International Festival of Sport Films in Moscow and was broadcast nationally on PBS.
Her current documentary project, “Diamond Diplomacy,” explores the relationship between the United States and Japan through a shared love of baseball. The film is currently in production. More information can be found at DiamondDiplomacy.com. Yuriko appeared on JapanBall’s “Chatter Up!” Zoom call in 2020 – check out our recap of that episode here.
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American Pastime
This dramatic historical fiction film, set in Utah’s infamous Topaz concentration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, tells the story of a family’s internment and the role baseball played in the camps. Baseball not only provided a diversion and physical outlet – it also cultivated camaraderie amongst the interns and respect from the white American community.
American Pastime was inspired by the work of the Nisei Baseball Research Project and its founder, Kerry Yo Nakagawa. Kerry Yo was a special guest on JapanBall’s “Chatter Up!” in April 2021, and his episode was the most powerful in our series. You can watch the video on YouTube or read the recap here.
The link below is for streaming options on Amazon; to buy the DVD, click here.
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Carry-On Suitcase – Samsonite Spinner
My wife and I put two suitcases on our wedding registry, and I’m sure glad that I ended up with this one! It is pretty much as large as it can be to still pass for a carry-on, which is why I chose it. It rolls smoothly through the airport or train station and I’ve found that the dividers and straps inside come in handy too. The hard sidewalls make it ideal for collecting precious Japanese souvenirs!
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Franklin Traveler Baseball Backpack
When I worked at MLB’s Office of the Commissioner, we gave these backpacks to a group of European prospects that were selected to play in a college recruiting event in the U.S. When we opened the box, I knew that I had to snag one for myself, just because it looked so cool. Then, I noticed how functional it is, with its various pockets and sections. It has become my favorite travel backpack because of its large (but not too large) capacity and many divided sections. Oh, and its comfortable and affordable too!
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Gentle Black Giants: A History of Negro Leaguers in Japan
Between 1927 and 1934, the Philadelphia Royal Giants of the U.S. Negro Leagues embarked on several goodwill tours across the Pacific. They were relegated to second-class citizenship at home, but abroad they were treated with tremendous respect. Unlike the well-known tours of major league stars who ridiculed their opponents through embarrassing defeats, the Royal Giants made the games competitive, dignified, and enjoyable for opposing players. This book makes the argument that the mutual respect – and spirited competition – between the Black and Japanese players played a significant role in the founding of professional baseball in Japan. For more, check out our book review.
Co-author Bill Staples, Jr. appeared on JapanBall’s “Chatter Up!” Zoom call in 2020 – check out our recap of that episode here. Kazuo Sayama, the other co-author, was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
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Growing the Game: The Globalization of Major League Baseball
I picked up this book shortly after it came out in 2008. I was a senior in college, and looking to pursue a career in baseball. This book meticulously described to me how baseball was in the process of becoming a truly global game, and I wanted to be part of that movement. I immediately tried to figure out how I could combine my love of baseball with traveling the world. And hey, what do you know – here we are!
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Hanshin Tigers Adjustable Baseball Cap
I used to only wear game-style baseball hats, thinking that the floppy hats were “dad hats.” Well, now that has changed. I always bring a hat like this when traveling so that I can cram it in my luggage without worrying about it losing shape. I like this vintage-style Hanshin Tigers hat because of the classic Tiger graphic and the “rising sun” in the background, but more importantly, it says “Hanshin Tigers” on it, which is often a conversation-starter for curious American baseball fans!
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Hiroshima Toyo Carp Red “Dad Hat”
Hiroshima’s Mazda ZOOM ZOOM Stadium, home of the Carp, is a sea of red on game day. Make sure that you fit in with this travel-friendly cap!
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In Search of Millionaires (The Life of a Baseball Gypsy): The Bob Fontaine Jr. Story
Baseball legends like Tony Gwynn, Ozzie Smith, and Randy Johnson are some of the most extraordinary talents that the game has ever known. But before they were pros, there was no industry consensus on these players – none of them were drafted in the first round of the MLB draft. But Bob Fontaine, Jr. saw in them something that the other teams didn’t, and millions of fans can thank him for drafting their franchise icon.
For nearly five decades, Fontaine looked into the future. He traveled the world and beat the bushes to scout, sign, and develop baseball’s constantly-refreshing next generation of stars. He led a relentless search, logging countless days abroad and wearing his car’s odometer out in the U.S.
But this book doesn’t just tally the biggest hits of Fontaine’s illustrious scouting career. Anyone who’s ever talked to a scout knows that scouts can tell stories like Ozzie Smith fields a routine grounder: with ease and just the right amount of flare. And Fontaine can spin a yarn with the best of them.
In this book, you’ll read about the inspiring draft story of Jim Abbott (who was born with only one hand), around-the-world baseball adventures (Fontaine three players in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union!), the early days of some of baseball’s biggest characters (Ozzie Guillen and John Kruk, for example), drafting the foundation of the 2002 World Series champion Anaheim Angels (Tim Salmon, Garrett Anderson, etc.), and scouting amateur players all over the world, including Yu Darvish in Japan (read an excerpt on scouting Darvish).
This book is a baseball lover’s dream. It has just the right amount of history and nostalgia mixed with humility and humor. Get a first-hand look at the life of a legendary baseball man who exemplifies the vital role that scouts – the unheralded soothsayers of the game – play.