Herbert Kuulei North (January 2, 1908 – April 6, 1964),[a] nicknamed Buster, was an American baseball pitcher who played with the Nagoya Golden Dolphins in the Japanese Baseball League's inaugural 1936 season. He earned the first win in Japanese professional baseball history, an 8–5 opening day victory against the Dai Tokyo on April 29, 1936.[2][3][4][5] North was referred to as one of the "Three Musketeers" of Nagoya, along with fellow imports Harris McGalliard and Sam Takahashi; the three were collectively the first Americans to play professional ball in Japan.[2][6]
| Herb North | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: January 2, 1908 Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii | |
| Died: April 6, 1964 (aged 56) Kaneohe, Hawaii | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| JBL debut | |
| April 29, 1936, for the Nagoya Golden Dolphins | |
| Last JBL appearance | |
| 1936 | |
| JBL statistics | |
| Win–loss | 2–5 |
| Earned run average | 6.48 |
| Strikeouts | 26 |
| Teams | |
| |
North returned to Hawaii after the season and played in the amateur circuit.[2] He was part of the Hawaii national baseball team at the 1940 Amateur World Series.[7] He later worked as a furniture salesman.[8]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ "ノース". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "IMPORTING AMERICA'S PASTIME: The 75th anniversary of U.S. ball players in Japan". Nichi Bei News. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "YEAR IN REVIEW : 1936 AMERICAN LEAGUE". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "プロ野球、昭和、平成、令和を振り返る 各元号の最初、最後の勝利、試合は？" (in Japanese). Full Count. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ "舌口球＜２００回＞プロ野球なんでも始め物語①" (in Japanese). 19 January 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
- ^ Akihiko Kawaura; Sumner La Croix (August 2016). "INTEGRATION OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICAN PLAYERS IN JAPAN'S PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUES". International Economic Review. 57 (23): 1108.
- ^ "Star-Bulletin". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. September 27, 1940. p. 14.
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau. "Herbert Kunlei North, "United States Census, 1950"". Family Search.com.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)