Masanori Murakami Will Return to S.F. Giants

Mar. 16, 1965 - Masanori Murakami, whose homesickness endangered American-Japanese baseball relations, will return to pitch for the San Francisco Giants this season.

The Japanese baseball commissioner, Yushi Uchimara, said he would seek an agreement with the American commissioner, Ford Frick, to allow the 20-year-old left-handed pitcher to go to the Giants this season, then return to the Nankai Hawks in 1966 and thereafter. 

“That’s the part we don’t like,” said Horace Stoneham, owner of the Giants. “But I called Commissioner Frick, and maybe something can be worked out later.

“We still consider we have a firm contract with Murakami and not a conditional one. But the important thing is to get him here.”

Murakami was the first Japanese to play in the major leagues. He made nine relief appearances for the Giants last season. In nine games, he pitched a total of 15 innings while allowing eight hits and three runs (with all the runs occurring in his final game Oct. 4) while having 15 strikeouts and one walk for a 1.80 ERA.

After the season ended, the Hawks and the Giants both claimed Murakami. The Japanese team said it had only lent him to the Giants for the 1964 season, but the San Francisco team maintained it had the rights to his services.

Stoneham, who says he’s certain now Murakami “will be here,” put his importance this way:“He knits the staff together. He resolves a lot of our uncertainties in relief pitching. He’ll come in and throw strikes. He’s young, strong, and can start in emergencies.”

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