Japanese shocked by Irabu's suicide
Source: Agencies |
July 30, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE Japanese baseball fraternity was shocked and saddened by yesterday's news that former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu was found dead in a Los Angeles suburb after an apparent suicide.
"He was a great pitcher in Japan but I got the sense his attitude changed when he went to New York," said Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese to pitch in the major leagues. "It's very sad. He was still so young."
The body of 42-year-old Irabu was found on Wednesday at a house in Rancho Palos Verdes, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb. County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Arriaga said "he was found dead by an apparent suicide."
Before going to the major leagues, Irabu was one of the most dominant pitchers in Japanese Professional Baseball.
He led the Pacific League in wins in 1994 with 15 and Earned Run Average in 1995 and 1996 (2.53, 2.40) when he played for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
In a country where finesse pitchers are prevalent, Irabu's power stood out. In 1993, he threw a 158 km/h fastball which still stands as the fastest pitch thrown in the Pacific League.
Irabu's father was an American serviceman who left Japan after Hideki was born without leaving a forwarding address. His mother was an Okinawan who remarried a restaurateur from Osaka, who raised Hideki. "It was a very sensitive subject to Hideki," said Whiting. "He did not like being asked questions about it."
"He was a great pitcher in Japan but I got the sense his attitude changed when he went to New York," said Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese to pitch in the major leagues. "It's very sad. He was still so young."
The body of 42-year-old Irabu was found on Wednesday at a house in Rancho Palos Verdes, a wealthy Los Angeles suburb. County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Arriaga said "he was found dead by an apparent suicide."
Before going to the major leagues, Irabu was one of the most dominant pitchers in Japanese Professional Baseball.
He led the Pacific League in wins in 1994 with 15 and Earned Run Average in 1995 and 1996 (2.53, 2.40) when he played for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
In a country where finesse pitchers are prevalent, Irabu's power stood out. In 1993, he threw a 158 km/h fastball which still stands as the fastest pitch thrown in the Pacific League.
Irabu's father was an American serviceman who left Japan after Hideki was born without leaving a forwarding address. His mother was an Okinawan who remarried a restaurateur from Osaka, who raised Hideki. "It was a very sensitive subject to Hideki," said Whiting. "He did not like being asked questions about it."
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