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.
