Interviews

1. Welcoming Nomo

2. Nomo's impact on later Japanese players

3. Nomo's personality

4. Nomo attendance boost

5. Dodgers relationship with Japan

6. Walter O’Malley’s philosophy

Acey Kohrogi

Former Director of Asian Operations for Los Angeles Dodgers

Nomo attendance boost

As you remember, in 1994 we had a work stoppage in Major League Baseball so some of the fans are very upset at Major League Baseball in general, but when Hideo Nomo came, we averaged about 8000 increase in attendance every ballpark. Not just Dodger stadium but every ballpark in the nation and even more than that, so as you can see, one player can generate 8000 in attendance, that’s not all Japanese people that came. These are regular American baseball fans that came to see Hideo Nomo, a Japanese man perform on the mound, so it’s exciting then.

baseball Hideo Nomo United States

Date: March 21, 2014

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Mark Langill

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Acey Kohrogi, formerly Director of Asian Operations for Los Angeles Dodgers and assistant to Peter O’Malley, owner of the Dodgers, for 20 years, is currently working for MVP Sports Group, serving as the firm's head of Asian operations. Kohrogi spent two decades with the Dodger organization and helped them attract the likes of Major League Baseball stars Hideo Nomo, Takashi Saito, Hiroki Kuroda, Chan Ho Park and Hong-Chi Kuo. His interview for Discover Nikkei was conducted in conjunction with Dodgers—Brotherhood of the Game, the exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum. (September 2014)