“Are They Throwing the Game?”—Yakult’s Surging Manager Ikeyama and the Stark Contrast With the Play Nomura Once Saw Through
“Ikeyama, you don’t need stars.”
In 1990, Yakult manager Katsuya Nomura delivered a remark that became deeply etched in the heart of 24-year-old Takahiro Ikeyama:
“Ikeyama, you don’t need stars.”
The message was that simply assembling powerful sluggers and ace pitchers is not enough to win. Thirty-six years later, the man who donned a first-team manager’s uniform for the first time at age 60 is now rewriting history at Jingu Stadium.
“We came close but let it slip away. We’ll turn the page and be ready tomorrow.”
On May 26, after Yakult lost its first interleague game in 11 innings, manager Takahiro Ikeyama (60) showed his usual smile behind the bench, though disappointment was evident in his eyes.
“Did you sleep well?”
Before Opening Day, 69 of 78 sports newspaper analysts predicted that the Yakult Swallows would finish last. Yet by May 4, the team became the fastest in both leagues to reach 20 wins for the first time since 1997.
However, the team struggled once interleague play began. After suffering an 8-0 shutout loss on May 28, Ikeyama encouraged his players by saying:
“The Pacific League pitchers have different kind of power. But let’s stay positive.”
A team official described him this way:
“Manager Ikeyama is like the sun.”
Having spent six years managing the farm team, Ikeyama earned tremendous trust from his players.
“If a fan calls out to him during warm-ups, he’ll always wave back, even in the middle of practice. He checks on his players’ condition, asking things like, ‘Did you sleep well last night?’ He has the sensitivity and boldness often associated with people who have AB blood type,” said a sports newspaper reporter.
During his playing career, Ikeyama—nicknamed “Bunbun-maru” for his aggressive swing—was known for his powerful hitting. He recorded 304 career home runs with fearless full swings, but he also struck out frequently. His streaky performances were so dramatic that manager Katsuya Nomura once jokingly quipped:
“Ikeyama, are you throwing games or something?”
Even so, Nomura recognized Ikeyama’s good character.
“This guy is different. He’s trying to change himself.”
Just as Nomura believed, Ikeyama always listened carefully to others and maintained a humble willingness to learn.
“What makes Mr. Ikeyama so appealing is the contrast between his bold style of play and his meticulous personality.”
That’s how a sports writer who has covered Ikeyama since his playing days describes him.
“His hobbies include appreciating and collecting paintings, as well as playing shogi. During his active career, he would visit art museums while on road trips, and on his days off he enjoyed dining with his family at his favorite restaurant in Ginza.” (same source)
His meticulous nature has remained unchanged since becoming manager. Before each game, he carefully reviews data during team meetings, monitors every player’s level of fatigue, and avoids pushing them beyond their limits.
“While he values analytics, he places even greater importance on his players’ feelings. He pays close attention even to much younger players and is always thinking a step ahead in how he interacts with them,” said a sports newspaper reporter.
After retiring in 2002, Ikeyama spent four years as the Rakuten Eagles’ first-team hitting coach, where he absorbed Nomura’s emphasis on data analysis. He returned to Yakult in 2011, but after serving as a first-team coach, he was reassigned as the farm team’s general batting coach. Beginning in 2020, he managed the farm club for six years, during which Mitsuru Manaka and Shingo Takatsu were promoted to first-team manager ahead of him.
Please watch over me
“Why wasn’t it me?”
He likely felt that way at times.
“But he never complained. He kept telling himself, ‘My job is to develop young players,’ and always greeted them with a smile,” the sports writer said.
On February 11 of this year, the seventh anniversary of Nomura’s passing, Ikeyama visited his mentor’s grave, offered a prayer, and made a vow:
“I’m becoming a manager. Please watch over me.”
According to the same writer:
“Manager Ikeyama follows the strategy of the underdog. Batting his key hitters first and second while placing the pitcher in the eighth spot to create momentum from the bottom of the lineup is a configuration backed by statistical analysis. Many former professional players say that Nomura’s underdog philosophy has been revived in the Reiwa era.”
Yakult opened the season with a victory over DeNA on March 27, and Ikeyama beamed afterward.
“What a thrill. It’s all thanks to everyone.”
Even during games, Ikeyama constantly wears a smile in the dugout.
“The manager always says, ‘Once the players start playing timidly, it’s over.’ That’s why he smiles no matter the situation. But after the game, he reflects on everything by himself,” a team official revealed.
On the night of May 28, after three interleague games, Ikeyama sat alone in the dugout at Jingu Stadium, quietly gazing out at the field. His expression reflected both frustration and an unwavering determination to keep moving forward.
Thirty-six years after Nomura told him, “You don’t need stars,” the man who heard those words is now trying to write a new chapter in Yakult history with a roster that few would consider loaded with talent.
Behind the smile of the rookie 60-year-old manager lies an unshakable resolve—and that resolve has become the driving force behind the team’s remarkable success.
PHOTO： Kyodo News