The Fancestor: Fans of Nippon Professional Baseball
The Fancestor: Fans of Nippon Professional Baseball
Gabe Lerman joins the show to discuss his passion for Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Gabe, a Toronto-based fan, shared how he became interested in NPB after visiting Japan. He described his extensive travels across the country, visiting NPB teams by train, and his work with Pacific League TV doing play-by-play and dubbing. Gabe explained the unique traditions of Japanese baseball, including the corporate ownership structure of teams, and the welcoming nature of Japanese fans despite some traditional boundaries.
Gabe and Aaron also discussed the challenges NPB faces with player recruitment and retention to MLB, recent stadium development plans, and historical scandals including the “black mist” scandal from the 1960s-1970s and more recent gambling issues. Gabe emphasized the community atmosphere at Japanese ballparks, particularly in the outfield bleachers, and expressed his continued passion for following NPB players who have moved to MLB, particularly highlighting Yoshinobu Yamamoto‘s success in the 2025 World Series.
The Fancestor is a podcast about that will speak to 30 fans from 30 Major League Baseball teams to determine exactly why we are fans. Through interesting conversations, it strives to understand and explain fandom: how we became fans, the moments that tested our fandom and why – at the end of the day – we are still fans.
