Our JapanBall Colleagues
Wayne
Graczyk
Wayne
has lived in Japan for over 35 years and is a contributor to this site. Sports
Editor of the widely read Tokyo Weekender for 27 years, he now has a popular
baseball column in The Japan Times.
Wayne
covers Japan for Baseball America, Major League Baseball and JapanBall.com.
For years he was a TV broadcaster for the
Tokyo Giants, continuing to cover the ballclub now as a reporter.
Wayne
is also
the long-time editor of the Japan Baseball Media Guide.
Marty
Kuehnert
While
at Stanford Marty did a study tour to Japan and ended up staying. He's widely
known in the country for his thoughtful commentary as a sports broadcaster,
lecturer, and newspaper columnist.
He's
a long-time entrepreneur, having opened a number of highly successful businesses
in Japan and, on the lighter side, has recurring roles in a popular Japanese
soap opera. He often visits with our group and offers his insights on Japan and
its baseball.
Marty is a well-known author of six books and has taught
Sports Management at Waseda University and currently teaches the same subject at
the prestigious Tohoku University.
In
October 2004 Marty was named the general manager of the Rakuten Golden Eagles,
the first foreign general manager of a team in Japan.
http://www.ismac.co.jp/english/index.html
Dan
Latham
Dan
is an enthusiastic supporter of introducing people to the joys of Japan
and Japanese baseball. Dan was a sportswriter for The Japan Times, in addition
to providing scouting services to the Atlanta Braves.
Over
the years Dan has built a wonderful web site. Other activities, a growing family
for one, are taking more of Dan's time and he is graciously allowing some of his
work to migrate here.
Mayumi
Smith
Mayumi
is an integral part of every trip. She is our cultural attaché and gives our
guests deeper insights into Japanese culture and ways. She's also a lot of fun
to have along!
Mayumi
is the director of the Nippon Business Institute and Japanese Cultural Center in
at Everett Community College in Washington State and is a master at facilitating
a wide array of interactions between the United States and Japan on both a
personal and business level.
In
April 2004 she was recognized for her efforts and named as one of the very
few individual recipients of the Japan Foreign Minister's Commendation in
Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the US - Japan Relationship.
http://www.everettcc.edu/programs/socsci/nbi/
