Diamond Diplomacy | A Conversation with Yuriko Gamo Romer & Masanori “Mashi” Murakami
Description
Director Yuriko Gamo Romer and baseball legend Masanori “Mashi” Murakami, the first Japanese player in Major League Baseball, join Austin Belzer to discuss Diamond Diplomacy, a documentary exploring how baseball became a bridge between Japan and the United States.
Together, they talk about the sport’s cultural impact, the challenges of documenting over 150 years of history, and how Mashi’s legacy continues to inspire players around the world.
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Learn more and find screenings at diamonddiplomacy.com.
Read the full transcript here.
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Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:26 – Hot Springs and Babe Ruth’s longest home run
02:05 – What inspired Yuriko to make Diamond Diplomacy
03:33 – Mashi’s minor-league days and first impressions of America
06:10 – From Fresno to the Giants: Moving to the majors
08:40 – Balancing archival footage and modern storytelling
11:00 – Working without AI and preserving history
13:00 – Friendship and collaboration through the film
15:00 – Legacy and baseball as diplomacy
19:30 – Closing remarks and festival screenings
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