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 Hashimoto a substitute. "Updated to 23 February 2018". Hideo Hashimoto Hashimoto is an Osaka City University graduate and he played for Gamba's junior youth team and youth team before signing for them as a professional player. He started to break into the first team in 2002 and established himself as a mainstay in Gamba's midfield in 2005, contributing to the club winning the J. League Championship that year. His first cap as a full international came when he substituted Keita Suzuki on 1 June 2007 in a friendly against Montenegro. He was a member of the Japan team for 2007 AFC