Masanori Murakami
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Masanori Murakami (村上雅則, Murakami Masanori, born May 6, 1944 in Otsuki, Japan) is a former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He is notable for being the first Japanese player ever to play for a Major League team, preceding the well-known Hideo Nomo by over 30 years. Sent over to the US by the Nankei Hawks, Murakami saw success as a reliever for the Giants, debuting at the age of 20 in 1964. In 1965, He struck out over 1 batter per inning pitched, posted an ERA under 4 and earned 8 saves. Following this season, however, Murakami headed back to his original Japanese club due to contractual obligations, where he continued his success for another 17 years.
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