YAKYU | Baseball Exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Features Memorabilia from Collection of Peter O’Malley

Several items from Peter O’Malley, President, Los Angeles Dodgers (1970-1998) are featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Yakyu | Baseball exhibit officially opened in Cooperstown, NY for induction ceremonies weekend (July 25-27, 2025). O’Malley and Dodger pioneer pitcher Hideo Nomo attended the ceremonies. 

O’Malley made his first trip to Japan with his parents Kay and Walter O’Malley and sister Terry for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 30-day 1956 Goodwill Tour. Since then, he has made approximately 85 visits to Japan discussing international baseball.

“This is one of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s most important exhibits, celebrating the great friendship through baseball in Japan and the United States,” said O’Malley. “I appreciate all of the memorabilia that has been curated to highlight the common bond of baseball and its transpacific exchanges. The thousands of visitors who view the displays will gain a better understanding of the longtime relationship and depth of passion for baseball in two countries, as well as how that has evolved to the highest level of talent in the game today.”

A one-of-a-kind plate signed by 12 Baseball Hall of Famers and a total of 40 members of the Dodgers’ traveling party during their 1956 Goodwill Tour to Japan is displayed. It was presented to Dodger President and Hall of Fame executive Walter O’Malley, who organized the tour.

Hall of Famers who signed the Noritake plate include Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Don Drysdale, Manager Walter Alston, Coach Billy Herman, President Walter O’Malley, broadcaster Vin Scully and umpire Jocko Conlan. Highly-respected sports columnist Sotaro Suzuki was designated by trip sponsor and Yomiuri founder Matsutaro Shoriki as the ambassador to invite the Dodgers to travel to Japan in the fall of 1956 and make all arrangements. In 1968, Suzuki was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame. Other notables signed the plate at the Noritake factory in Nagoya, including Don Newcombe, Carl Erskine, Jim Gilliam, Clem Labine, Don Zimmer and Ralph Branca, Kay O’Malley, Peter O’Malley and his sister Terry. The bold signatures from November 6, 1956 are still crystal clear on the plate with Mt. Fuji seen in the background. It was Jackie Robinson’s last Dodgers team item signed before his retirement. In nearly 60 years, the plate has been displayed only twice – by the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo (2013) and at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles (2014).

As visitors enter the Yakyu | Baseball exhibit a striking suit of armor is showcased. O’Malley received the replica suit of armor January 29, 1988 in recognition of the longtime friendship between the O’Malley and Shoriki families. Toru Shoriki, Yomiuri owner, sent two former Tokyo Yomiuri Giants players and managers, Motoshi Fujita and Shigeo Nagashima, both in the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame, to Dodger Stadium to present the armor to O’Malley. Tetsuharu Kawakami, a third Giants’ Japan Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager, was also involved in the impressive present expressing appreciation to Peter and the O’Malley family.

The O-Yoroi, or Great Armor, was worn by Japan’s highest-ranking samurai from the 10th through 14th centuries. Shimazu Yoshihiro, feudal lord of the Satsuma Province during the late 16th Century, was captivated by the form of the Great Armors. This piece is modeled after Yoshihiro’s personal suit of armor. It has been modified to showcase the family crest of the Tokugawa Clan, to whom the Shimazu pledge their loyalty at the close of the Warring States Period (1467 -1600).  

In addition, four traditional happi coats, three commemorating the 1966 Dodgers Goodwill Tour to Japan and one from their 1993 Friendship Series to Fukuoka, worn by O’Malley will be part of the exhibit. Happi coats are worn during festivals and on special occasions in Japan. O’Malley received three in 1966, including one that features the Dodger script logo in red with beautiful cherry blossoms and the words “Welcome, World Peace and Dodgers”. Another is a red coat with the Dodgers logo on the back. The third represented Dodger sponsor Union Oil which had a business relationship with Japan’s Maruzen Oil Company to provide crude oil. A Maruzen Oil reception was held in Japan where blue happi coats were presented to the Dodgers’ traveling party. To commemorate the 1993 Dodgers Friendship Series with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, happi coats featuring the logo for the series and the flags of Japan and the U.S. were presented to each member of the Dodgers’ traveling party.