Benny Agbayani

'Cos it's easier for Japanese people to pronounce than Agbayani, I'd guess.

So is Benny Agbayani the 2nd player in NPB history to have his first name on the back of the uniform?

Agbayani sounds a little Japanese to me. Since he's Hawaiian, I assume he had some Japanese heritage in his family background.

- So is Benny Agbayani the 2nd player in NPB history to have his first name on the back of the uniform?

No, it's been way more than two. Off the top of my head, I can think of Saburo (Marines), Shuuta (Hanshin), and Mizuki (Hawks), all of whom are playing this season. Orix had a pitcher who went by Yuuki a couple years ago, but I don't know if he's still active. Oh, there's also "Mac" (Suzuki Makoto, Orix).

I don't know if many players have gone by their first names in the past, but I'm guessing the trend started with Ichiro.

Alex Ochoa also has his first name on the back of his jersey last season. So Agbayani wouldn't be the second.

There's an easy one that most people who have been following Japanese baseball for a while will remember: Leon.

Yes, in 1978 the Lee brothers (Leon and Leron) both played for the Lotte Orions. Leron, who joined Lotte in 1977, had the registered name of Lee. Two players with "L. Lee" certainly wouldn't work. So when Leon joined in 1978, his registered name became "Leon" - his first name.

This and many other (at least foreign players') names predate Ichiro's 1994 first name registration by many years.

I found a site that discusses many aspects of foreign players' names here [in Japanese]. It mentions a number of players who used their first names or where their last names were shorted (such as Lancellotti became Lance). Also the numourous nicknames under which players were registered, like Boomer (Gregory Wells) and Animal (Bradley Lesley).

Before you start thinking that only foreign players use nicknames, or that "Mac" Suzuki was the first, that's not true, either. In 1994, when Orix announce that Suzuki Ichiro was to have his first name on his jersey, the bigger news story was that Satoh Kazuhiro was to have "Punch" on the back of his jersey (nicknamed for his "punch perm" hair style). At the time, Punch was extreamly popular (I loved his hero interviews), Ichiro was still to make a name for himself.

- There's an easy one that most people who have been following Japanese baseball for a while will remember: Leon.

Right, I forgot that one. He also went by Leon last year, as manager of the BlueWave.

- Before you start thinking that only foreign players use nicknames, or that "Mac" Suzuki was the first, that's not true, either.

Yeah, I knew that. Mac was the first to come to mind, though. I recall hearing that Randy Ready went by Spike, and someone told me that Chunichi once had a player called Dingo (is this correct?). Also, Seibu has a player called GG Sato this season. Anyone know what that's about? His real name is Takahiro, I think.

"Dingo" was former Milwaukee Brewer Dave Nilsson's nickname, and that's what he went by when he played for the Dragons in 2000.

GG Sato played single-A ball for the Phillies for 3 years, and during that time he came up with the nickname "GG" for himself. According to him, he looks like an old man (jijii), hence the nickname "GG."

Back in the old days, you also had guys like "Roger" (Roger Repoz), "Steve" (Steve Ontiveros), "Burkleo" (Ty Van Burkleo), "George" (George Hinshaw). The list of players who went by their first name or by a nickname goes on and on.

- Also, Seibu has a player called GG Sato this season. Anyone know what that's about? His real name is Takahiro, I think.

I have been trying to find GG Sato! He was in the Phillies' system until this year. Used to watch him in NYPENN short season A-ball in Batavia, then moved to full season A with Lakewood. Started as a shortstop, then moved and kicked butt as a catcher.

How do I get more info on GG and his team (wife and kid are also big fans of his)?

Benny Agbayani is Filipino and Hawaiian. Since those cultures have had a lot of other cultures mixing in, it's possible that he could be part Japanese, but most likely he not very much, if any.

"Agbayani" is Filipino. Benny Agbayani is not of Japanese heritage. He is a Filipino-American.

Yes, that is correct. Benny is Filipino. He just happens to be from Hawaii, where many Filipinos reside. "Agbayani" is a Filipino last name.