Hiroshi Yamauchi
From BR Bullpen
Hiroshi Yamauchi (山内 博)
- Born November 7, 1927 in Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Hiroshi Yamauchi is the former owner of the Seattle Mariners. Yamauchi, the former President of the Nintendo Corporation, bought the Mariners in 1992 in a goodwill gesture to keep the Mariners in Seattle. MLB agreed to allow Yamauchi to buy the Mariners, but only on the condition his voting interest was limited to 49%, this condition was later eliminated in 1996.
Yamauchi was famous for helping the Mariners break into the market in Japan by suggesting to sign pitcher Kazuhiro Sasaki in 1999 and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki in 2000. In 2004, Yamauchi transferred the rest of his stock in the Mariners to Nintendo of America.
The M's are now represented by Howard Lincoln.
