Banzai Babe Ruth: Baseball, Espionage, and Assassination During the 1934 Tour of Japan

366 Pages·2012·5.41 MB·English

by  Robert K. Fitts

PRAISE FOR ROBERT K. FITTS’S
Wally Yonamine: Th e Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball
“Fitts’s expertise in Japanese baseball emerges throughout the
narrative, as readers come to understand the evolution of baseball
in Japan. . . . [Wally Yonamine] serves as a great primer on the
general historical evolution of Japanese baseball, seen through the
career of Wally Yonamine.”
— ERIC B. SALO, nine
“Extensively researched, well-written, and endlessly informative
and fascinating, this book makes an excellent addition to anyone’s
baseball library and is absolutely required reading for anyone
interested in Japanese-American baseball relations.”
— MICHAEL STREET, Baseball Daily Digest

“Th is is a must-read and a must-add to the bookshelf for those with
an interest in the history of Japanese baseball, and a worthwhile
read for any baseball fan looking to broaden their knowledge of this
great game that has spread around the globe.”
— PAT LAGREID, Baseballbookreview.com
“A great read about a Japanese baseball player who has been too
long overlooked.”
— L. A. HEAPY, choice

BANZAI BABE RUTH

BAN Z A I
BABE R UTH
Baseball, Espionage, &
Assassination during
the 1934 Tour of Japan
robert k . fit ts
University of Nebraska Press • Lincoln and London
© 2012 by Robert K. Fitts. All rights reserved.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Fitts, Robert K., 1965–
Banzai Babe Ruth : baseball, espionage, and
assassination during the 1934 tour of Japan /
Robert K. Fitts.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-8032-2984-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Baseball—United States—History—20th
century. 2. Baseball—Japan—History—20th
century. 3. Ruth, Babe, 1895–1948. 4. Sports
and state—United States. 5. United States—
Foreign relations—20th century. 6. Civilization
—American infl uences. I. Title.
gv863.a1f58 2012 796.357—dc23
2011027373
set in chaparral pro by kim essman
designed by a . shahan
In memory of Wally Yonamine, a
true gentleman who inspired all who
knew him to become better people

Contents
List of Illustrations viii
Recurring Japanese Characters ix
Prologue xiii
part 1 “When I say I’ll do something,
I bet my life on it.” 1
part 2 “Babe Ruth . . . is a great deal more eff ective
Ambassador than I could ever be.” 83
part 3 “Th e Japanese are equal to the Americans
in strength of spirit.” 153
part 4 “Th ere will be no war between the
United States and Japan.” 193
part 5 “To hell with Babe Ruth!” 233
appendix 1. Th e All American Touring Party 273
appendix 2. Tour Batting and
Pitching Statistics 275
appendix 3. Tour Game Line Scores 277
Acknowledgments 281
Notes 285
Bibliography 299
Index 309