Japan Baseball Hall of Famers at Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida

Takehiko Bessho – right-handed pitcher for Nankai and Yomiuri from 1942-1960 won 310 career games. He was a two-time Japan Series MVP (1952 and 1955) for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants. Was the Giants’ pitching coach when they visited Dodgertown in 1961 and later managed the professional Sankei Atoms from 1968-1970.

Kaoru Betto – outfielder for Osaka (1948-49) and Mainichi (1950-57), who was 1950 Pacific League MVP and 1950 Japan Series MVP, leading Mainichi to its first Japan Series championship. He won 1,237 games in 20 seasons, managing from 1952-1979 for four professional teams in Japan. Guest of the Dodgers in 1960 Spring Training at Dodgertown and remained with the Dodgers during the season at the request of the Tokyo Daimai Orions owner.

Motoshi Fujita – right-handed pitcher for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1957-1964, winning 119 games in 9 seasons. In 1961, he trained at Dodgertown with the Giants. Fujita twice won Central League MVP honors (1958 & 1959). He later managed the Giants to two Japan Series championships (1981 & 1989).

Tatsunori Hara – managed the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants to three Japan Series titles (2002, 2009, & 2012) and 1,096 wins in 14 seasons, following a playing career from 1981-1995. Hara trained at Dodgertown during 1981 spring and won Central League Rookie of the Year in 1981. In 1983, he was Central League MVP.

Tatsuro Hirooka – Tokyo Yomiuri Giants third baseman and shortstop from 1954-1966, winning the 1954 Central League Rookie of the Year. He trained at Dodgertown in 1961. Hirooka managed three teams to the Japan Series championship: 1978 Yakult Swallows and 1982 and 1983 Seibu Lions. He twice was recipient of the Matsutaro Shoriki Award, presented to a contributor to the development of professional baseball.

Tsuneo Horiuchi – right-handed pitcher for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1966-1983, who won 1966 Central League Rookie of the Year honors. Twice named Eiji Sawamura Award as top pitcher. He trained at Dodgertown four times (1967, 1971, 1975, & 1981). In 1972, Horiuchi was Central League MVP. He won 203 career games before managing the Giants in 2004-2005. 

Shigeru Makino – second baseman and shortstop for the Nagoya/Chunichi Dragons from 1952-1959. Makino coached the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1961-1974 and again from 1981-1983. He intently studied the “Dodger Way to Play Baseball” at Dodgertown during 1961 Spring Training and used what he learned to help train the Giants players and staff. Makino was a coach for 11 Japan Series championships.

Masaaki Mori – catcher for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants from 1955-1974. Mori, an 11-time Central League All-Star, was Japan Series MVP in 1967. Mori visited Dodgertown in 1961, 1967 and 1971. He managed the Seibu Lions (1986-1994) and the Yokohama BayStars (2001-2002), bringing a Japan Series title to Seibu in 1986. Mori twice was winner of the Matsutaro Shoriki Award (1986 & 1990). 

Hiromitsu Ochiai – was recipient of numerous major awards in Nippon Professional Baseball, including the only three-time winner of the Triple Crown batting award (1982, 1985 & 1986). He played for four teams from 1979-1998. In 1988, he trained with Chunichi at Dodgertown. Ochiai managed the Chunichi Dragons from 2004-2011, winning the Japan Series in 2007.

Kazuyoshi Tatsunami – infielder (2B, SS, 3B) for Chunichi who had a 22-year career for the Dragons (1988-2009). Tatsunami trained at Dodgertown in 1988 and was Central League Rookie of the Year (1988). He was an 11-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star, who played for the 2007 Japan Series champion Dragons and began his managerial career for them in 2022.