murayama

Toritani – Hall of Famer? Retired Number?

Toritani – Hall of Famer? Retired Number?

Most of us are aware of the fact that Takashi Toritani reached the 2000 career hit mark last September. He became just the second homegrown talent in club history (after Taira Fujita) to  reach the mark while still a member of the club. Other guys have done it in a Tigers uniform, but they started their…

Minoru Murayama: Fiery Ace

Minoru Murayama: Fiery Ace

It seems like every year in recent years, another player is putting out memoirs or thoughts about baseball and life with the Hanshin Tigers. Nothing wrong with that, if in fact they have something worth saying. But often times, these guys haven’t truly accomplished anything significant in their careers. This one is different, though. For…

Hanshin Tigers: 1965-1978

Hanshin Tigers: 1965-1978

In a way, the book title says it all – this is a complete summary of the Hanshin Tigers’ 1965 through 1978 seasons. But actually, it starts the tale in the fall of 1958, when the team signed the best pitcher in its history – Minoru Murayama. After brief recaps of the first seasons in…