Japan Is Invading the MLB!
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"Baseball" Pics4Learning. Retrieved November 2, 2005 from http://pics.tech4learning.com/
Understanding Statement:
What was once thought to be an American pastime can now
be considered an universal craze! Japan and Japanese players are greatly
influencing Major
League Baseball.
Introduction: Major League Baseball is changing. Many of
our favorite players
are not from the United States and do not speak English. Players from
countries such as
México, the Dominican Republic, and especially Japan are proving that baseball
is not only an
American pastime but a national pastime as well. Complete this Treasure
Hunt to learn about
Japan's influence on Major League Baseball. Then complete the Putting It
All Together
Activity.
Questions:
1. Who was the
first Japanese player to play in the MLB?
2. Japanese players did not decide overnight that they wanted to come to
the United States
to play in the MLB. List a few of the
events that lead to a Japanese player entering the MLB.
3. Almost thirty percent of Major League Baseball players in 2005 were
born outside of the
United States. How many of these
players were born in Japan?
4. In 2005 the MLB held its opening series in Japan. A poll was
taken by a local newspaper
in Japan. How did most people respond to this
poll?
5. Do you feel it was a good idea? Why or why not?
6. Here is a
list of thirty players born in Japan who played
in the MLB from between 1965
and 2005. Choose one player and briefly describe his career.
7. Ichiro Suzuki won an
award
this season. What was this award? Has he won this award
before? If so, how many times? Why do you think
Ichiro Suzuki won this award?
8. Based on this
image do you think Hideo Nomo was a successful
pitcher? Was he liked by his
teammates? After looking at the picture and answering the questions read
the accompanying
article.
9. Reread the Understanding Statement for this Treasure Hunt. What
questions do you still
have? Write your own question here. If you have found an answer,
write that too!
Putting It All Together: You have just been made the new
Commissioner of the MLB! Create a
brochure describing how Japan has influenced the sport of baseball.
Include a brief history, the
names of prominent players from Japan, awards they have won and the opinions
that baseball fans
have about Japanese involvement in the MLB.

"Baseball Button" Pics4Learning. Retrieved
November 2, 2005 from
http://pics.tech4learning.com/
"Baseball Background" Pics4Learning. Retrieved
November 2, 2005 from
http://pics.tech4learning.com/