Murakami makes history in Japanese baseball

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Munetaka Murakami has scripted history by beating the all-time home run record in Japan’s Central League held by baseball legend Sadagaru Oh, while also being the youngest player to score a Triple Crown in batting. Together with this, the 22-year-old hitter for the Yakult Swallows has also turned heads for his choice of baseball bat.

Crafted at the Mizuno Technics Corp. factory, with a thick handle and short length, Murakami’s bats have a design not favoured by top players. However, according to craftsman Tamio Nawa, Murakami prioritizes the ease with which he can swing the bat, rather than the power generated from the centrifugal force that arises from the length of the bat.

Murakami’s style of play is also more versatile than that of Oh. While both are left-handed Oh preferred to be a dead-pull hitter, such that of the 55 home runs he scored in a single season, 49 went to the right of the field. In comparison, Murakami has so far hit 25 shots to his right, 18 to the opposite side and 13 to the center. Moreover, his understanding of the game aids him in making modifications to his bat including moving the centre of gravity nearer to the body, reshaping of the grip and hollowing out of the tip. It remains to be seen what other records this young Japanese smashes.