April 26 - To celebrate the start of Japan's professional baseball season, today's guest blog is by Mr. Gaku Tashiro from the Sankei Sports newspaper, who has been in the United States covering Major League Baseball since 2001.
Jim
A Home Run for Japanese Sportswriters
Hideki Matsui shares a laugh with me in the dugout. (Courtesy of Sankei Sports newspaper)
Players are chosen for the National Baseball Hall of Fame by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America - those with at least 10 years of experience. It is a great honor for any sportswriter to become a voting member and choose Hall of Famers.
At a recent press conference, held at a luxury hotel in New York for the 2011 MLB Hall of Fame vote, Jack O'Connell, secretary-treasurer of the writers association, introduced two Japanese sportswriters as new voting members: "We have reporters from Asian media outlets joining the Hall of Fame voting process for the first time. They are Mr. Gaku Tashiro of the Sankei Sports newspaper and Mr. Keizo Konishi of Kyodo News." Then O'Connell went on to announce former MLB second baseman Roberto Alomar and pitcher Bert Blyleven, who were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year.
I joined the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 2001. I came to the United States as an MLB correspondent to cover Ichiro Suzuki, who joined the Seattle Mariners that same year. "If you live in the U.S. and cover the Mariners for the entire season, you will be one of us," said Bob Sherwin, who was then chairman of the Seattle chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association. He gave me permission to join the association as the first Japanese sportswriter.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY
(Courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
When I joined, I was advised by O'Connell not to cover just the Japanese players, but the entire spectrum of Major League Baseball, like the American sportswriters. Therefore, I have tried to keep this stance of covering the games on the field even if Japanese newspapers only focus on Japanese players.
Once I was accepted as a regular MLB sportswriter, I seldom felt any barriers. Now I am honored to be a voting member and help choose the MLB Most Valuable Player and the MLB Rookie of the Year. I also have the right to cover the World Series and All-Star Game from the main press box seats. In addition, I have been asked by American newspapers to contribute articles. Thus, it is clear that the U.S. welcomes not only Japanese players, but also Japanese sportswriters. I guess American understanding of Japanese baseball as well as Japanese culture has deepened.
At the general meeting of the Baseball Writers' Association last December in Florida, I told the members, "I greatly appreciate the Association's opening the door to Japanese media. Without your understanding and support, I would never have been able to cover Major League Baseball in the U.S. for the last 10 years." Then I received loud applause from my American fellow reporters, and I felt my efforts over the past 10 years had truly paid off.
Gaku Tashiro, Sankei Sports newspaper
I enjoy reading your blog. Tokorode, Please let us know when you are leaving Japan and your new post. The newspapers say that you are going to Washington D.C., but we do not know when. Please do not say, like, "this is my last blog and I am leaving". Please let us know far in advance that when you are leaving Japan.
Ganbatte !!
Hi Jim, I came across your post from a Google Alerts that I get. I don't see too often about Japanese sportswriters here in the U.S. I see the following when they show MLB players, but that's the extent of it.
