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Wakamatsu, Aota among 4 Hall of Fame inductees

TOKYO, Japan - Tsutomu Wakamatsu (R), who helped lead the Yakult Swallows to victory in the Japan Series as both a player and manager, poses for photos in Tokyo on Jan. 13 after being inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame along with three deceased figures -- (from L to R) baseball historian Ichiro Kimishima, Yoshinori Okoso, former owner of the Nippon Ham Fighters, and Noboru Aota, one of the top sluggers of his time.

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Wakamatsu, Aota among 4 Hall of Fame inductees

TOKYO, Japan - Tsutomu Wakamatsu (L in file photo), who helped lead the Yakult Swallows to victory in the Japan Series as both a player and a manager, has been inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame along with the late Noboru Aota (C in file photo), one of the top sluggers of his time, the selection panel announced Jan. 13. Yoshinori Okoso (R in file photo), a former Nippon Ham Fighters owner, was also inducted with baseball historian Ichiro Kimishima, both posthumously, bringing the total number of Hall of Fame inductees to 168.

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Furuta agrees to become player-manager for Yakult

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta (R) shakes hands with club President Yoshikazu Tagiku on Oct. 18 after coming to agreement on a two-year deal that will make him the first player-manager in 29 years in Japanese professional baseball. Furuta, 40, takes over from Tsutomu Wakamatsu who stepped down at the end of the season after a seven-year stint.

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Yakult manager Wakamatsu to resign at season-end

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu leaves the Tokyo Dome on Sept. 21. He said he will resign at the end of the season from the Central League club after the Swallows on the previous day offered the manager's job for next season to veteran catcher Atsuya Furuta.

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(2)Nagashima may have suffered stroke

TOKYO, Japan - Shigeo Nagashima (R), the Yomiuri Giants' former manager and currently national baseball team manager, talks with Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu on Feb. 19 at a Yakult training site in Okinawa Prefecture. Nagashima was diagnosed with a possible stroke with numbness on the right side of his body on March 5.

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Yakult going ahead with draft plan on Mac Suzuki

TOKYO, Japan - Former Kansas City Royals right-hander Mac Suzuki delivers a pitch during a pitching trial at the Yakult Swallows' training facility in Tokyo on Nov. 18. After watching Suzuki's pitching, Yakult manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu decided to name him in the baseball draft on Nov. 20.

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Yakult manager Wakamatsu named Shoriki award winner

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu, who led his Central League team to the Japan Series title this past season, speaks to the media in a Tokyo hotel Oct. 31 after being named the recipient of the Matsutaro Shoriki award for his contributions to the development of Japanese baseball.

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Yakult sweeps Kintetsu at home to claim Japan Series crown+

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu is being tossed shoulder-high into the air in Tokyo's Jingu Stadium on Oct 25 after the Swallows raced out to a three-run lead in the first inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over the Kintetsu Buffaloes and their fifth Japan Series professional baseball championship crown. The victory gave the Central League champion Swallows their first Japan Series championship since 1997 with a four games to one advantage in the best-of-seven series.

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Soejima congratulated by teammates

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows pinch hitter Kota Soejima is congratulated by Manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu (R, front) and other teammates after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in Game 4 of the Japan Series at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Oct. 24. The Swallows won the game 2-1 for a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

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Yakult ends skid to clinch 6th Central League pennant

TOKYO, Japan - The Yakult Swallows ended a four-game winless streak to finally clinch their sixth Central League pennant and first in four years with a 6-4 extra-inning victory over the Yokohama BayStars at Yokohama Stadium on Oct. 6. Yakult manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu is being tossed shoulder-high into the air.

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Ramirez blasts solo homer

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows slugger Alex Ramirez is greeted by manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu (L) after blasting a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium on Aug. 23.

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Yakult manager Wakamatsu to resign at season-end

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu leaves the Tokyo Dome on Sept. 21. He said he will resign at the end of the season from the Central League club after the Swallows on the previous day offered the manager's job for next season to veteran catcher Atsuya Furuta. (Kyodo)

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Furuta agrees to become player-manager for Yakult

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta (R) shakes hands with club President Yoshikazu Tagiku on Oct. 18 after coming to agreement on a two-year deal that will make him the first player-manager in 29 years in Japanese professional baseball. Furuta, 40, takes over from Tsutomu Wakamatsu who stepped down at the end of the season after a seven-year stint. (Kyodo)

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Wakamatsu, Aota among 4 Hall of Fame inductees

TOKYO, Japan - Tsutomu Wakamatsu (L in file photo), who helped lead the Yakult Swallows to victory in the Japan Series as both a player and a manager, has been inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame along with the late Noboru Aota (C in file photo), one of the top sluggers of his time, the selection panel announced Jan. 13. Yoshinori Okoso (R in file photo), a former Nippon Ham Fighters owner, was also inducted with baseball historian Ichiro Kimishima, both posthumously, bringing the total number of Hall of Fame inductees to 168. (Kyodo)

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Wakamatsu, Aota among 4 Hall of Fame inductees

TOKYO, Japan - Tsutomu Wakamatsu (R), who helped lead the Yakult Swallows to victory in the Japan Series as both a player and manager, poses for photos in Tokyo on Jan. 13 after being inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame along with three deceased figures -- (from L to R) baseball historian Ichiro Kimishima, Yoshinori Okoso, former owner of the Nippon Ham Fighters, and Noboru Aota, one of the top sluggers of his time. (Kyodo)

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Ramirez blasts solo homer

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows slugger Alex Ramirez is greeted by manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu (L) after blasting a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Hanshin Tigers at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium on Aug. 23.

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Yakult going ahead with draft plan on Mac Suzuki

TOKYO, Japan - Former Kansas City Royals right-hander Mac Suzuki delivers a pitch during a pitching trial at the Yakult Swallows' training facility in Tokyo on Nov. 18. After watching Suzuki's pitching, Yakult manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu decided to name him in the baseball draft on Nov. 20. (Kyodo)

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(2)Nagashima may have suffered stroke

TOKYO, Japan - Shigeo Nagashima (R), the Yomiuri Giants' former manager and currently national baseball team manager, talks with Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu on Feb. 19 at a Yakult training site in Okinawa Prefecture. Nagashima was diagnosed with a possible stroke with numbness on the right side of his body on March 5. (Kyodo)

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Yakult manager Wakamatsu named Shoriki award winner

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu, who led his Central League team to the Japan Series title this past season, speaks to the media in a Tokyo hotel Oct. 31 after being named the recipient of the Matsutaro Shoriki award for his contributions to the development of Japanese baseball.

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Yakult sweeps Kintetsu at home to claim Japan Series crown+

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu is being tossed shoulder-high into the air in Tokyo's Jingu Stadium on Oct 25 after the Swallows raced out to a three-run lead in the first inning and held on for a 4-2 victory over the Kintetsu Buffaloes and their fifth Japan Series professional baseball championship crown. The victory gave the Central League champion Swallows their first Japan Series championship since 1997 with a four games to one advantage in the best-of-seven series.

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Soejima congratulated by teammates

TOKYO, Japan - Yakult Swallows pinch hitter Kota Soejima is congratulated by Manager Tsutomu Wakamatsu (R, front) and other teammates after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in Game 4 of the Japan Series at Jingu Stadium in Tokyo on Oct. 24. The Swallows won the game 2-1 for a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.