is in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Bozo was a player from 1936-1953, 1944 & 1947 MVP
He was also a manager from 1942-1953
Wakabayashi's parents had immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima, Japan, 
and Wakabayashi was born in Hawaii, giving him dual citizenship between the United States and Japan.
Wakabayashi attended Oahu's William McKinley High School, 
and his powerful fastball made him the ace pitcher of the school's baseball team. 
In 1928, he was chosen to participate in an exhibition baseball tournament held in Japan, 
and he traveled from Hawaii to Japan for the first time that year. 
Professional baseball did not exist in Japan at that time, 
and Wakabayashi's amateur team played against university teams in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. 
Wakabayashi's pitching abilities did not go unnoticed, and Hosel University was particularly active in recruiting him. 
Wakabayashi himself was not opposed to the idea of remaining in Japan, 
and it seemed only a matter of time before he was admitted into Hosei University, and then onto Pro Baseball. 
He renounced his Japanese citizenship in 1928, but revived it when he moved to Japan. 
When the Osaka Tigers played their first season in 1936, jersey numbers were given out in alphabetical order.
Wakabayashi was assigned number 4, but he refused to wear the number because it is considered unlucky in Japan.
He was given the first available number instead, which was 18. 
His subsequent success in the professional leagues made it a custom 
for a Japanese team's ace pitcher to be given the number 18