31.   Now, eight years after being released, Bass holds no bitterness against Japanese baseball or against his former team.

32.   One of the most infamous exercises in Japanese baseball is called the senbon-nokku, or thousand knocks.

33.   Second, no one makes bad jokes any more about Japanese baseball or the products imported from the Far East.

34.   Some are claiming that his performance shows the superiority of Japanese baseball techniques.

35.   Sprinkling salt is a long-standing superstition among Japanese baseball players as a way to end a long losing streak.

36.   The Japanese baseball team had to withdraw when it was discovered that seven of them, in hopes of becoming the next Nomo, had secretly signed major-league contracts.

37.   The Japanese baseball team remained a medal-round contender with a win over South Korea.

38.   The impact of the new arrivals on Japanese baseball is less helpful.

39.   The Mariners became a part of American League and Japanese baseball history Sunday night, but missed out on a four-game series sweep.

40.   The rebels argue that Japanese baseball needs all the outlandish hair and other badges of individuality it can get.