GaryMrMets
10-21-2005, 12:54 PM
Veteran catcher Atsuya Furuta to become player-manager for Japan's Yakult Swallows
.c The Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) - Atsuya Furuta, a veteran catcher for the Yakult Swallows, will become the team's player-manager next season, the Swallows announced Tuesday.
Furuta, 40, signed a two-year contract to take over for Tsutomu Wakamatsu, who had led the team since 1998.
``I decided to accept the offer although it is a tough job. It is a great honor to be offered such a big role,'' he was quoted as saying in the team's Web site.
Kyodo News agency said that Furuta was the first player-manager in 29 years in Japanese professional baseball. Katsuya Nomura served as player-manager for the Nankai Hawks from 1970 to 1977.
In April, Furuta became the 32nd player in Japan and just the second catcher to reach 2,000 hits.
A 10-time Gold Glove award winner, he helped lead the Central League team to Japan Series championships in 1993, '95, '97 and 2001.
As head of the Japan's players' association, Furuta took the lead in resolving a strike last year - the first in the 70-year history of Japanese baseball.
Furuta has been playing for the Swallows since 1990.
10/18/05 06:35 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
.c The Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) - Atsuya Furuta, a veteran catcher for the Yakult Swallows, will become the team's player-manager next season, the Swallows announced Tuesday.
Furuta, 40, signed a two-year contract to take over for Tsutomu Wakamatsu, who had led the team since 1998.
``I decided to accept the offer although it is a tough job. It is a great honor to be offered such a big role,'' he was quoted as saying in the team's Web site.
Kyodo News agency said that Furuta was the first player-manager in 29 years in Japanese professional baseball. Katsuya Nomura served as player-manager for the Nankai Hawks from 1970 to 1977.
In April, Furuta became the 32nd player in Japan and just the second catcher to reach 2,000 hits.
A 10-time Gold Glove award winner, he helped lead the Central League team to Japan Series championships in 1993, '95, '97 and 2001.
As head of the Japan's players' association, Furuta took the lead in resolving a strike last year - the first in the 70-year history of Japanese baseball.
Furuta has been playing for the Swallows since 1990.
10/18/05 06:35 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.