Sports · Baseball · 1 hr ago
Injured NPB umpire regains consciousness and begins rehabilitation
NPB umpire Takuto Kawakami has regained consciousness six months after a bat struck his head during a game.
The accident happened on April 16 at Tokyo’s Jingu Stadium, during a Yakult-DeNA game in which Kawakami was working as home-plate umpire.
A batter’s bat came loose and hit the left side of Kawakami’s head, and he needed emergency surgery.
He can now talk and eat, though his family says he still has some after-effects.
Kawakami is continuing rehabilitation and has told visitors that he wants to return to umpiring at a stadium.
The injury led NPB to require home-plate umpires to wear helmets and introduce penalties for dangerous swings.
His treatment and rehabilitation will continue as he works toward recovery; no return date has been given.
NPB umpire Takuto Kawakami has regained consciousness after suffering a head injury in April.
He can now speak and eat, and is continuing rehabilitation, his family said.
His family said he has some lasting effects and hopes to return to umpiring.
Kawakami was hit in the left side of the head by a batter’s bat during a game at Jingu Stadium on April 16.
NPB subsequently required home-plate umpires to wear helmets and introduced penalties for dangerous swings.
- Who
- Takuto Kawakami, a 30-year-old NPB umpire.
- What
- He has regained consciousness and can speak and eat. He is undergoing rehabilitation.
- When
- NPB announced the update on October 16, about six months after the April 16 injury.
- Where
- The injury happened at Jingu Stadium during a Yakult-DeNA game.
- Why
- A batter’s bat came out of his hands and struck Kawakami in the head.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A bat struck Kawakami in the left side of the head during the Yakult-DeNA game at Jingu Stadium, and he underwent emergency surgery.
NPB made helmet use mandatory for home-plate umpires.
NPB’s executive committee approved new measures to warn or eject players for dangerous swings.
The dangerous-swing measures took effect.
NPB reported that Kawakami had regained consciousness and could speak and eat.
- Injured umpire
- Takuto Kawakami, 30
- Injury date
- April 16
- Game venue
- Jingu Stadium
- Current condition
- Regained consciousness; able to speak and eat
- Rehabilitation
- Kawakami is working toward recovery and hopes to umpire again
What people are saying
He keeps saying, “I want to return to the stadium and umpire.
Although he does have some aftereffects, he is working every day in rehabilitation so that he can recover.