February 13, 1995, New Otani Hotel, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ press conference to introduce popular pitcher Hideo Nomo is a happy occasion with (L-R) Dodger President Peter O’Malley and Nomo on the dais.
30th Anniversary of Hideo Nomo’s May 2, 1995 Major League Debut and Nomomania
On May 2, 1995, the baseball world was energized and transfixed watching the major league debut of Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers as he took the mound at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. This year is the 30th Anniversary of that momentous and historic occasion which continues to transform international baseball as nearly 80 Japan-born players have followed Nomo to the major leagues.
Nomo had pitched five seasons in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in Nippon Professional Baseball, but he wanted to compete on a whole new level in Major League Baseball for the Dodgers. He had met with the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants prior to visiting with Dodger President Peter O’Malley at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Nomo planned to travel next to Atlanta to meet Braves Chairman Ted Turner and to New York to see Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. After Nomo’s first meeting with O’Malley, he invited Nomo to meet again the following day. That was the beginning of their mutual trust and friendship. Nomo cancelled his plans to go east.
On February 12, 1995, Hideo Nomo autographed this baseball for Dodger President Peter O’Malley, the day when the Japan-born pitcher signed his contract with the Dodger organization.
Dodger President Peter O’Malley welcomes Hideo Nomo to Dodger Stadium on February 12, 1995, the date of Nomo’s contract signing. Pioneer pitcher Nomo of Japan made his MLB debut on May 2, 1995 against the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. On July 11, 1995, Nomo was National League starting pitcher for the All-Star Game in Texas.
No Japan-born player had been in a major league game for 30 years, since 1965 when pitcher Masanori Murakami played for the San Francisco Giants.
Coming off a prolonged players’ strike which cancelled the 1994 World Series and a delayed spring training in 1995, Major League Baseball needed a positive story and it got one from a source whose journey began thousands of miles away in Japan.
September 17, 1995, “Has Nomo Saved Baseball?” is the Los Angeles Times Magazine cover story by beat writer Bob Nightengale about the historic rise of Japan-born Dodger pitcher Hideo Nomo following Major League Baseball’s lengthy work stoppage.
When Nomo, the pioneer and “Warrior” started for the Dodgers, he embraced the challenge of competing against baseball’s best hitters. It became clear after just one Dodger minor league start that he was prepared to show his turning, twisting windup style to major leaguers. With baseball fans in Japan curious to see how Nomo would do in MLB, they were early risers on May 2 as the game’s first pitch was at 4:33 a.m. Tokyo time.
At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Nomo used his strength, work ethic and forkball to pitch five scoreless innings, giving up just one hit while striking out seven.
After going 6-0 in the month of June, that was the beginning of his stellar career and “Nomomania” launched in Japan and the United States like a rocket. As a rookie, he was selected to start for the National League in the All-Star Game in Texas. He went two scoreless innings and struck out three further enhancing respect and popularity in the baseball world.
Japanese magazine cover featuring the 1995 Dodgers and their rookie pitcher Hideo Nomo shown on a commemorative baseball. Interest in Nomo reached a fever pitch as “Nomomania” spread in Japan and the United States during his 1995 season.
Hideo Nomo’s 1996 Upper Deck baseball card highlights his remarkable 1995 National League Rookie of the Year award. Nomo won 13 games for the 1995 Dodgers and his worldwide popularity continued to grow.
Fans admired his commitment and the challenges he had overcome – 1) to retire in Japan and come to the United States to perform his craft for the Dodger organization and new teammates; 2) to acclimate into a different culture with his limited amount of English spoken; 3) to be surrounded relentlessly by a large contingent of media both from Japan and domestically; and 4) to develop an understanding of competing players and their strengths and weaknesses, all with high expectations.
Many around the game and in the media credit Nomo for saving baseball and helping it rebound from perhaps its darkest hour following a work stoppage. He was the shining light for MLB in 1995. Nomo was named 1995 National League Rookie of the Year for the Dodgers and helped them reach the postseason for the first time since 1988 with his 13 wins and league-leading 236 strikeouts.
With every game Nomo pitched shown live in Japan, no matter what time it started, interest and Dodger fandom grew.
A limited-edition coin proof set (1 of 95 made) was created to honor Hideo Nomo, the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year.
Nomo continued with the Dodgers winning 16 games in 1996 and 14 in 1997. The new FOX ownership group traded him to the New York Mets on June 4, 1998. However, he returned for another stint with the Dodgers in 2002-2004. Overall, he pitched 12 seasons in MLB, winning 123 games.
He is one of only five pitchers to throw a no-hitter in both the National and American Leagues.
August 21, 2014, Lawry’s The Prime Rib restaurant, Beverly Hills. A dinner to welcome Hideo Nomo’s junior All Japan baseball team (national under 15 all-stars), is hosted by Peter O’Malley. (L-R: front) Baseball Hall of Fame Dodger Manager Tommy Lasorda, Japan Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Hideo Nomo, and O’Malley are in front of Nomo’s young all-stars and coaches. O’Malley gave Nomo bobbleheads to the team.
Since his retirement, he has actively supported the development of youth baseball in Japan on two levels. First is a junior All Japan team which is national under 15 all-stars. For more than a decade, Nomo annually has brought those all-stars to Southern California encouraging and supporting the young players. Second, he started the Nomo baseball Club which is a club team designed to help non-drafted players get into professional baseball. They regularly compete in club team tournaments in Japan.
July 18, 2014, Hideo Nomo (left) and Peter O’Malley participate in Japan Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies for Nomo at the Seibu Dome, Tokorozawa, Japan. O’Malley made a presentation of flowers to Nomo, the youngest player to be inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame at the age of 45 years.
In 2014, Nomo was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame. The line of succession of great Japan-born ballplayers to MLB goes directly from Nomo’s pioneering breakthrough season of 1995 to Ichiro Suzuki to Shohei Ohtani with many more in between and more to come.