RIP Hideki Irabu

[Banedon]

Apparently he was found dead in California. Suspected suicide.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/28/hideki-irabu-dead-yankees-pitcher_n_912565.html

[Tarver]

Guess he never got over that [expletive] toad remark.

[Careless]

I was really not expecting that to be a real "RIP"

[erik316wttn]

Wasn't he really the first big Japanese player to be posted and signed in the States?

[SouthSideRyan]

Wasn't he really the first big Japanese player to be posted and signed in the States?

 

You mean in terms of mass?

[Tarver]

Nomo. Unless you meant fattest.

[erik316wttn]

Nomo. Unless you meant fattest.

 

Yeah I wasn't sure if he or Nomo was first. Nomo opened up the gates for all the others to come over.

[Clem Fandango]

Nomo showed up in 95.

 

And was bad ass

[Benchwarmer]

Actually Masanori Murakami was the first Japanese player to play in the majors with the Giants in 1964.

 

BTW..Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother have been regarded as the first African American players to play in the majors. They played with Toledo in the International League(then considered part of the majors) for a handful of games in 1884. There is currently research going on now that there might have been an even earlier player.

[erik316wttn]

Nomo showed up in 95.

 

And was bad ass

 

I copied that delivery whenever I could.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

When he first hit the US, I had a boss that would walk around all day saying, "Hi, Dickie. I rub you." Needless to say, it got a little old and has nothing to do with a man's death, but still...

[Guest]

Irabu caused the pre-free agency posting system to happen. The Padres bought his rights but he refused to sign, saying he would only play for the Yankees.

 

Depression is as serious an illness as cancer. I hope someday our society will think the same about mental illness as we do physical illness.

[Magnetic Curses]

Nomo showed up in 95.

 

And was bad ass

 

I copied that delivery whenever I could.

 

when was that?

[erik316wttn]

Nomo showed up in 95.

 

And was bad ass

 

I copied that delivery whenever I could.

 

when was that?

 

Just messing around with friends when it was my turn to pitch. I'd do it once or twice each time just for laughs.

Edited August 1, 2011 by erik316wttn

[Magnetic Curses]

i bet it was awesome

[erik316wttn]

i bet it was awesome

 

It totally was.

[Soul]

Man.

 

I just read the Slate article on Irabu's life and trials.

 

Haunting stuff. Especially the part about finally meeting his father, and not even being able to really communicate with him.