Hideo Nomo (野茂 英雄|Nomo Hideo?), born August 31, 1968 in Minato-ku, Osaka, Japan, is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB) from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1990 to 1994. He then exploited a loophole to free himself from his Japanese contract and became the first Japanese-born Japanese major leaguer to permanently relocate to Major League Baseball in the United States. His successful debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 is often credited with paving the road for the subsequent "wave" of Japanese players entering Major League Baseball.Nomo pitched over the span of 13 seasons in the American major leagues with 8 different teams, before retiring in 2008. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1995. He twice led the league in strikeouts and also threw two no-hitters (to date the only Japanese pitcher to throw even one). He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award, Baseball America Rookie of the Year
Star Sign
Virgo
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Trademark
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Tornado-like delivery in which he turns his back on the hitter before throwing the ball.
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Fact
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(January 4) Signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals that includes an invitation to spring training. [2008]
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(April 20) Designated for assignment by the Kansas City Royals in order to clear a roster space, effectively ending his career. [2008]
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Named Baseball Digest's Rookie All-Star Team and National League Rookie of the Year (1995).
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In 1995 led the National League in strikeouts (236); in 2001 led the American League in strikeouts (220).
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Made major league debut on 2 May 1995.
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Pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1995-1998; 2002-2004), New York Mets (1998), Milwaukee Brewers (1999), Detroit Tigers (2000), Boston Red Sox (2001), Tampa Bay Rays (2005), and Chicago White Sox (2006 but did not play).
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sunday Night Baseball
1995-2004
TV Series
Himself - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher
1995 MLB All-Star Game
1995
TV Special
Himself - NL Pitcher
Dai 6 kai FNS no hi sûpâ supesharu 1 oku 2000 man nin no Heisei kyôiku terebi
1992
TV Special
Himself
Minasan no okage desu
1988
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Prime 9
2010
TV Series
Himself
Boston Red Sox: 100 Years of Baseball History
2001
Video documentary
Himself
Known for movies
1995 MLB All-Star Game (1995) as Himself - NL Pitcher
Dai 6 kai FNS no hi sûpâ supesharu 1 oku 2000 man nin no Heisei kyôiku terebi (1992) as Himself
Minasan no okage desu (1988) as Himself
Sunday Night Baseball (1995-2004) as Himself - Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher
$25 Million