Japan Samurai Bears

• Location: Road Team
• League: Golden Baseball League, 2005
• Affiliation: None
• Ballpark: None

The Japan Samurai Bears were a traveling team in the Golden Baseball League. They were in the Arizona Division.

Venue: All games are played on the road.

Manager: Warren Cromartie

Pitching Coach: Tsuneo Horii

Assistant Coaches: Masashi Shimono, Kimihiro Satoh

Notable: It was the first all-Japanese team to be a regular member of a U.S. professional league.

Several Japanese traditions were observed when the Bears play. Three of note: Sushi and tempura were served at games, the playing of taiko drums in the stands, and handing teddy bears and flowers to players after they touch home plate after a home run.

The Golden Baseball League tried in late 2004 to make a Tijuana team the league's eight member, but the arrangement unraveled. The GBL had planned to sprinkle its rosters with Japanese players. Instead, a team comprised entirely of Japanese players was created, and the Japan Samurai Bears were born.

The team missed the playoffs in 2005, but provided us with many entertaining, humourous stories. They disappeared after the season.

Year-by-Year Record

Year	League	Affiliation	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs
2005	Golden Baseball League	none	33-57	4th Arizona Division	Warren Cromartie

External link

• Japan Samurai Bears official web site (English)
• Japan Samurai Bears official web site (Japanese)
• Japan Samurai Bears Shop