Meet Robert K. Fitts
December 10th (Wed) 5:30pm at Kinokuniya New York
Author Robert will be visiting Kinokuniya New York on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:30 PM for a signing event celebrating In the Japanese Ballpark: Behind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball!
The book features interviews with key figures such as Bobby Valentine, Trey Hillman, Matt Murton, and others, offering a unique look into the culture and experience of Japanese baseball. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate this fascinating new release exploring the world of Nippon Professional Baseball!
Synopsis
Baseball may be the national pastime in both the United States and Japan, but each country plays and experiences the game in distinct ways. In the Japanese Ballpark: Behind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball, author Robert K. Fitts explores what makes Nippon Professional Baseball unique through interviews with twenty-six insiders, including players, managers, umpires, team executives, cheerleaders, writers, and fans.
Featuring voices such as Bobby Valentine, Trey Hillman, Matt Murton, Robert Whiting, and others, the book offers an engaging behind-the-scenes look at the culture, people, and passion that define Japanese baseball, revealing how it differs from Major League Baseball and what makes it so special to those who love the game.
About the Author
A former archaeologist with a Ph.d from Brown University, Robert K. Fitts left academics behind to follow his passion - Japanese baseball. An award-winning author and speaker, his articles have appeared numerous journals, magazines, and websites. He is also the author of ten books on Japanese baseball and Japanese baseball cards.
Fitts is the founder of SABR’s Asian Baseball Committee and a recipient of the society’s 2013 Seymour Medal for the Best Baseball Book of 2012 (Banzai Babe Ruth); the 2019 and 2023 McFarland-SABR Baseball Research Awards; the 2012 Doug Pappas Award for the best oral research presentation at the annual convention; and the 2006, 2021, and 2023 SABR Research Awards. He has twice been a finalist for the Casey Award and has received two silver medals at the Independent Publisher Book Awards. While living in Tokyo in 1993-94, Fitts began collecting Japanese baseball cards and now runs Robs Japanese Cards LLC.