Japanese baseball is getting attention after Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters’ outfielder Chusei Mannami threw the ball all the way from the outfield to get a home run out, is being shared all over Twitter. It reminds everyone of Roberto Clemente, a Peurto Rican All-Star right fielder.
The first share was on Twitter by Yahoo writer Kendall Baker, who could not stop praising the electrifying arm of Chusei Mannami at the Pacific League of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Later, a thread was created with many saying no one knew Mannami prior to the video, as most are into American baseball rather than Japanese.
Japanese baseball player Chusei Mannami went viral a couple weeks ago for this ABSURD throw.
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) June 5, 2024
I ended up going down a rabbit hole and folks… this guy might have the most electric arm in baseball history.
🧵 Threadpic.twitter.com/xS1obWWGxY
Yet Kendall Baker has successfully lifted the veil on the professional baseball player from a mixed ethnic background, Chusei Mannami.
Mannami made his first debut after spending five years on the team in 2023.
The national team chose Mannami as one of the players to represent Japan in the Asia Professional Baseball Championship in 2023.
And, thanks to Kendall, fans seem interested in learning more about Chusei Mannami, who goes by the nickname Manchu or Laser Beams for his strong arm. People are calling his dad a superhero for giving birth to such talent.
Chusei Mannami is half Chinese and half African because of his parents
24 years old years right-handed batter Chusei Mannami, going by the Japanese name Manpa Nakamasa, was born on April 7, 2000, in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, to parents, father Willy Lushiku, and mother, whose name is a secret.
Mannami is of mixed ethnicity because his father, Willy, is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and his mother is from Japan.
Further details on Mannami’s parents are not public, as the baseball player rarely mentions his family.
However, we found that he grew up alongside his elder sister, Aisha Mannami, who was born on June 11, 1998, and is two years older than Mannami.
She graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University in 2021 and seems to have worked as a hairstylist and model at Atelier Hair & Spa in Japan.
Mannami’s siblings prove they share the same blood given Aisha is also an athlete who competed in track and field in around 2012 and shot put at the Junior Olympics from the Tokyo Metropolitan team.
Meanwhile, Mannami demonstrated his interest in baseball since grade two by playing as a pitcher for the Blue Phoenix at Nerima Municipal Kaishin Second Elementary School.
Later, after entering Yokohama High School, Mannami got his breakthrough by leading his team to the main tournament at Hansjin Koshien Stadium by hitting his first official home run with an estimated distance of 135 meters.
Nevertheless, thanks to his track record, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters drafted Mannami as an outfielder on October 25, 2018.
Additional Information
- Chusei Mannani won the May Monthly MVP award, All-Star Game MVP, Best Nine, Golden Glove Award, Fighting Spirit Award, and Sayonara Award in 2023.
- His family supports his career as Aisha has appeared in most of Manammi’s matches and wears jersey no. 66, the number for the Chusei Mannami uniform.
- Chusei Mannami earns an annual salary of 80 million yen, so his estimated net worth should be around 250 million yen to 350 million yen.
