Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — Before the Los Angeles Dodgers took the field against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 2, 2024, Dodger Stadium hosted a significant press conference to celebrate Japanese Heritage Night and announce a new exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The event highlighted the deep connections between Japanese and American baseball cultures and featured key figures from both sides.
The press conference kicked off with an expression of gratitude from the organizers to the Dodgers for their longstanding support of the Japanese community. “First and foremost, a huge thank you to the Los Angeles Dodgers for hosting us tonight on Japanese Heritage Night,” Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch began. “We are very grateful for your hospitality and for the longtime support of the Japanese community that the Dodgers organization has always had.”
Honoring Baseball Legends and Cultural Exchange
The event included introductions of notable guests, including Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, and star players Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Dave Roberts, celebrated for his winning record and proud Japanese American heritage, shared his excitement about the event. “It’s truly an honor to be here and to see the relationship between Japanese ballplayers and Major League Baseball celebrated in this way,” Roberts said. “Baseball is bigger than all of us, and this event highlights the global nature of the sport.”
Lovullo, who played for the Yakult Swallows in Japan, echoed Roberts’ sentiments. “I’m honored to be up here with this group,” he stated. “This exhibit is a wonderful recognition of the rich baseball culture in Japan and the incredible players who have contributed to the sport on both sides of the Pacific.”
Introducing the New Exhibit
The highlight of the press conference was the announcement of a new exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, titled “Yakyu: Baseball, the Transpacific Exchange of the Game,” set to open in July 2025. The exhibit will showcase the impact of Japanese players in Major League Baseball and American players in Japan. It will also highlight historical tours and exchanges between the two countries.
The exhibit will feature artifacts from legendary players such as Hideo Nomo, Ichiro Suzuki, and Yu Darvish, among others. “We have been collecting artifacts for many years to help tell this story,” Rawitch explained. “One such artifact is a baseball from Hideo Nomo’s no-hitter in 1996. His impact on the game cannot be overstated.”
Shohei Ohtani, one of the game’s biggest stars and a global ambassador for baseball, expressed his honor at being part of the exhibit. “I’m extremely honored to be here and to be part of the Japan-US baseball exhibit,” Ohtani said. “My bat will be part of the exhibit, and it’s a privilege to contribute to this important project.”
Contributions from Current Stars
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who joined the Dodgers this year after a stellar career in Japan, also spoke about the significance of the cultural exchange. “Joining the Dodgers, I am aware of the long history of cultural exchange between Japan and the US,” Yamamoto said. “I am donating the glove I used during spring training to the exhibit and hope to visit once it opens.”
The press conference concluded with a group photo and a call to visit the new exhibit when it opens. “This exhibit is going to be groundbreaking, and it’s our hope that people from all around the world will come to see it,” Rawitch concluded. For more information on this upcoming exhibit, visit baseballhall.org/yakyu.
Celebrating Japanese Heritage Night
As the event wrapped up, the attendees were reminded of the night’s celebration at Dodger Stadium. “Thank you all so much for being here,” Rawitch said. “We look forward to an exciting game tonight and to celebrating Japanese Heritage Night with all of you.”
This special event at Dodger Stadium not only honored the contributions of Japanese players to baseball but also set the stage for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the sport’s global impact.
