Hideo Nomo

(born Aug. 31, 1968 , Osaka, Japan) Japanese baseball pitcher whose success with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995 created new opportunities for Asian players in Major League Baseball. After a solid five-year career (1990–94) with the Kintetsu Buffaloes of the Japanese Pacific League, in which he amassed a 78–46 record with an earned run average of 3.08, Nomo signed with the Dodgers in 1995. He posted a 13–6 record in his first season and won National League Rookie of the Year honours. He threw two no-hitters (1996 and 2001) during a 10-year major league career.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica