{"product_id":"in-the-japanese-ballpark-behind-the-scenes-of-nippon-professional-baseball-hardback-9781496244079","title":"In the Japanese Ballpark; Behind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball (Hardback) 9781496244079","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eIn the Japanese Ballpark\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eBehind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eRobert K. Fitts (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781496244079\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 1 November 2025\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e304 pages, 36 photographs, 2 tables, index\u003cbr\u003e22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.666 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e“You begin reading \u003cb\u003eRobert Fitts\u003c\/b\u003e’s book with a walk. Each step is another intimate first-person portrait that is an integral part of the collective Japanese game of baseball. You feel the honor, the soul, the sheer attention to detail in every page. Each turn was a revelation of what seemed almost confidential. I never stopped learning from start to finish and when I completed the final chapter I found a full tapestry of a beautiful game where every stitch made by every person was deeply consequential. I loved this book.”—\u003cb\u003eDoug Glanville\u003c\/b\u003e, Emmy award-winning journalist and baseball analyst and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Game from Where I Stand: A Ballplayer’s Inside View\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“Thanks largely to \u003cb\u003eRobert Fitts\u003c\/b\u003e, we’ve learned a great deal about Japan’s greatest ballplayers. But now Robert has given us a penetrating, necessary look at the game off the field, too, and every page is filled with insights and delight.”—\u003cb\u003eRob Neyer\u003c\/b\u003e, award-winning baseball writer\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“\u003ci\u003eInside the Japanese Ballpark\u003c\/i\u003e fills an important gap in baseball literature with passion, wonder, and deep research and legwork. Through the voices of agents, cheerleaders, umpires, journalists and mascots, as well as players and managers, \u003cb\u003eRobert Fitts\u003c\/b\u003e uses the best kind of oral history to bring alive the vibrant and unique culture of Japanese baseball, from its old-fashioned samurai ethos where the word ‘ouch’ was once forbidden to the modern game of packed stadiums and the world’s best player, Shohei Ohtani. You can taste the fresh sushi and cold beer delivered straight from kegs and hear the crack of the bat on a Sunday afternoon at the Tokyo Dome. It also comes with a fantastic comprehensive guide to attending and following the Nippon Professional Baseball league. A homu ran.”—\u003cb\u003eJohn W. Miller\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eBaseball is the national pastime of both the United States and Japan, but the two countries approach and play the game differently both on the field and away from it. To shed light on these differences and help fans gain a greater appreciation for Nippon Professional Baseball, \u003cb\u003eRobert K. Fitts\u003c\/b\u003e turns to the true experts, the people who play, oversee, promote, and watch the game, to find out what makes Japanese baseball special. \u003ci\u003eIn the Japanese Ballpark\u003c\/i\u003e features engaging interviews with twenty-six baseball personalities to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the game.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fitts speaks with participants in the games such as players, managers, and an umpire; support staff including an interpreter, trainer, and data analyst; front office personal such as an owner, general and assistant managers, and marketing directors; ballpark workers including cheerleaders, a mascot, beer vendor, and usher; and professionals who surround the sport, such as baseball writers, a player agent, and a sports card dealer; as well as a league commissioner. Through their personal experiences, these individuals reveal the inner workings of the Japanese game and explain the cultural aspects that make Nippon Professional Baseball different from Major League Baseball.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIn the Japanese Ballpark\u003c\/i\u003e features interviews with Bobby Valentine, Trey Hillman, Matt Murton, Robert Whiting, Marty Kuehnert, Tomoko Namba, Ambassador Ryozo Kato, and many others. Their experiences and insights provide inside knowledge to make the fan experience more enjoyable, for both those watching a Japanese game for the first time and well as for seasoned followers.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eList of Illustrations\u003cbr\u003e Introduction\u003cbr\u003e Japanese Baseball Timeline\u003cbr\u003e Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Teams\u003cbr\u003e Glossary\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 1: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eSetting the Stage\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 1. Robert Whiting, Journalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 2: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eOn the Diamond\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 2. Matt Murton, Player\u003cbr\u003e 3. Shungo Fukunaga, Minor League Player\u003cbr\u003e 4. Natsuo Yamazaki, Umpire\u003cbr\u003e 5. Trey Hillman, Manager\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 3: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eIn the Ballpark\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 6. Jim Allen, Sportswriter\u003cbr\u003e 7. Jennie Roloff Rothman, Superfan\u003cbr\u003e 8. Yasuro Karibe, Oendan Leader\u003cbr\u003e 9. Taylor Foote, Mascot Team\u003cbr\u003e 10. Saori Ogure, Cheerleader\u003cbr\u003e 11. Keiko Suzuki, Uriko (beer girl)\u003cbr\u003e 12. Kenjiro Kajita, Ballpark Security \u0026amp;\u003cbr\u003e Intern\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 4: In The Clubhouse\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 13. Toshihiro Nagata, Data Analyst\u003cbr\u003e 14. Ichiro Kitano, Trainer\u003cbr\u003e 15. Ken Iwamoto, Interpreter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 5: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Front Office\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 16. Marty Kuehnert, General Manager\u003cbr\u003e 17. Tomoko Namba, Team Owner\u003cbr\u003e 18. Shun Kakazu, Assistant General Manager\u003cbr\u003e 19. Jonathan Fine, Assistant General Manager\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 6: The Business of Baseball\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 20. Shigeo Araki, Marketing Director\u003cbr\u003e 21. Tomoki Negishi, Marketing and Business Development\u003cbr\u003e 22. Noamichi Yokota, Marketing and Merchandising\u003cbr\u003e 23. Ryozo Kato, NPB Commissioner\u003cbr\u003e 24. Edwin Dominguez Alvarez, Agent\u003cbr\u003e 25. Tatsuo Shinke, Sport Cards\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 7: Conclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 26. Bobby Valentine, Manager\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Appendix A: Tips on Following NPB from Outside of Japan\u003cbr\u003e Appendix B: Tips on Collecting Japanese Baseball Cards \u0026amp;\u003cbr\u003e Memorabilia\u003cbr\u003e Appendix C: Tips on Attending Games in Japan\u003cbr\u003e Appendix D: Recommended English-Language Books on NPB\u003cbr\u003e Notes\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgments\u003cbr\u003e Index\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"University of Nebraska Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52653107544344,"sku":"9781496244079","price":26.45,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/in-the-japanese-ballpark-behind-the-scenes-of-nippon-professional-baseball-hardback-9781496244079","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}