This Day in Baseball: Blasingame Hired to Manage Hanshin Tigers

On December 20, 1978, Don Blasingame became the first American not of Japanese descent hired to manage a Japanese team. The former major league second baseman would lead the formerly last place Hanshin Tigers to a fourth-place finish the following season, compiling a managerial record of 180–208–28 during his four years managing Japanese teams.

Don Blasingame (Jay Publishing / public domain)