Masanori Murakami

Masanori "Mashi" Murakami is a Japanese former professional baseball player. He is notable for being the first Japanese player to play for a Major League Baseball team. Sent over to the United States by the Nankai Hawks, Murakami saw success as a reliever for the San Francisco Giants, debuting at the age of 20 in 1964. In 1965, he struck out over one batter per inning pitched, posted an ERA under 4 and earned eight saves. Following this season, however, Murakami headed back to his original Japanese club due to contractual obligations, where his success continued for another 17 years.

6 May 1944

Born on the same birth day (6 May): Brooke Bennett • Chantelle Newbery • Chris Paul • Dimitris Diamantidis • Dominika Cibulková • Dora Bakoyannis • Duncan Scott (swimmer) • Gerardo Parra • Gerrit Zalm • Goran Dragić • Graeme Souness • Johann Joachim Becher • John Flansburgh • Konrad Henlein • Maximilien Robespierre • Orson Welles • Prince Archie of Sussex • Robert Peary • Rolf Maximilian Sievert • Rubin Carter • Tony Blair • Tony Estanguet • Toots Shor • Victor Grignard

Born in the same month (May 1944): Alain Souchon • Antal Nagy (footballer, born 1944) • Armistead Maupin • Danny Trejo • Faith Brown • Ingrid Roscoe • Joe Cocker • John Flanagan (author) • Marie-France Pisier • Peter Mayhew • Roger Rees • Rudy Giuliani • Sondra Locke • W. G. Sebald