Los Angeles Dodgers Peter O'Malley began reaching out in 1980 by starting clinics in China and South Korea, building baseball fields in two Chinese cities, and in 1998 becoming the first major league team to open an office in Asia. The Dodgers were the second team to start a Japanese player in recent history, pitcher Hideo Nomo, the first team to start a South Korean player, pitcher Chan Ho Park, and the first Taiwanese player, Chin-Feng Chen. In addition, they were the first team to send out three Asian pitchers, from different Asian countries, in one game: Park, Hong-Chih Kuo of Taiwan, and
Hideo Ohba Hideo Ohba was a Japanese aikido and judo teacher and the Second Director of Japan Aikido Association after the death of Kenji Tomiki. He was born as Hideo Tozawa in a village called Nakagawa in Akita prefecture. In 1936, he adopted his wife's name upon marriage in deference to her fame as a young teacher of the Japanese harp. The year 1931 was pivotal for Hideo Ohba. He was awarded 2nd dan in judo, met Kenji Tomiki and was called up to serve in the military which he did with distinction. His professional and personal relationship with Kenji Tomiki became