Don Nomura NPB was no longer bound to their NPB team outside Japan and was free to sign overseas without violating the working agreement. After the 1994 season Nomura assisted star NPB pitcher Hideo Nomo in testing the loophole. After failing to reach a contract agreement with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, Nomo retired from NPB and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. In 1998 he represented Hideki Irabu, whose contract was sold by the Chiba Lotte Marines to the San Diego Padres. Irabu stated that he would only play for the New York Yankees, and refused to sign with the Padres.
Hideo Kanaya Hideo Kanaya Kanaya began his Grand Prix career in 1967 and won his first Grand Prix at the 1972 250cc German Grand Prix. In 1972, Kanaya and Jarno Saarinen raced the first four-cylinder, two-stroke Yamaha TZ 500 in the 500cc world championship. After Saarinen's death in the 250cc race at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the TZ 500 project was put aside and Kanaya raced only in the 250cc class. Kanaya's best season was in 1975, when he finished third in the 500cc world championship behind his Yamaha team-mate, Giacomo Agostini and MV Agusta's Phil Read. He also won