Historic Japanese Baseball Player Returns to Fresno

Friday, July 10, 2015
Historic Japanese Baseball Player Returns to Fresno
Legendary Japanese player, Masanori "Mashi" Murakami returned to the Central Valley to promote his new book.

FRESNO, Calif. -- Legendary Japanese player, Masanori "Mashi" Murakami returned to the Central Valley to promote his new book.

Author Robert Fitts joined Mashi in a discussion of Japanese baseball and Mashi's role as Japan's first Major Leaguer. Mashil signed copies of his new biography for fans in Northeast Fresno Wednesday night.

Mashi played for the Fresno Giants in 1964, before getting the call to join the San Francisco Giants later that season. He made his major league debut at just 20 years-old.

The book is called: "Mashi: The Unfulfilled Baseball Dreams of Masanori Murakami, Japan's First Major Leaguer."