For years, Sara Takanashi grew in fame as Japan’s global superstar in ski jumping, breaking numerous records in the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Now, at the start of the 2025-26 season in November, Nozomi Maruyama, 27, is raising her profile.
The lesser-known Japanese ski jumper has had a sensational start, with three consecutive World Cup wins in the first three events of the campaign.
On November 22 and 23, Maruyama posted back-to-back victories in Lillehammer, Norway.
Then, on Friday, November 28, in Falun, Sweden, Maruyama extended her win streak with a stellar performance in the normal hill event in Falun, Sweden.
Maruyama flew 94 meters and 91 meters on her two jumps to amass 229.6 points for her latest win. Takanashi, now 29, placed ninth.
“It’s the best start of the season and I am surprised [by] the wins, but my form is getting better and better,” Maruyama said in an interview with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation website. “This was the most difficult one of the three because of the wind and the delays.”
Nozomi Maruyama (KYODO)
Nozomi Maruyama Has a Chance to Match a Historic Mark
On Sunday, November 30, Maruyama could match one of Takanashi’s most notable World Cup records: four victories in four consecutive meets at the outset of a season. Takanashi set this record in 2013.
Sunday’s event, also in Falun, Sweden, is the rescheduled large hill competition.
For Maruyama, a record-tying victory would certainly raise her profile even more. But even if she doesn’t match or break Takanashi’s record, she’s become a stronger competitor in big events.
She made her Ski Jumping World Cup debut in 2018. So until last week, she hadn’t won a World Cup event. In 2021, she had her best overall season, placing 11th in the standings.
Recent results could be an indication that Maruyama will be a medal contender in the women’s ski jumping events at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
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Former Lotte Orions star George Altman in a 1973 file photo. (©SANKEI)
Baseball
Former Orions Star Altman Dies at 92
George Altman, a former Negro Leagues and MLB player who continued his pro baseball career until age 42 in Japan, passed away on Monday, November 24. He was 92.
Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, announced that Altman died.
A first baseman/outfielder, Altman began his career with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1955. He made his MLB debut for the Chicago Cubs in 1959, and later played for the St Louis Cardinals and the New York Mets before returning to the Cubs in ’65.
Altman had his best MLB seasons in 1961 (.303 average, 27 home runs, 96 RBIs) and 1962 (.318, 22 homers, 74 RBIs) as a Cub.
The North Carolina native joined NPB’s Tokyo Orions in 1968, appearing in 139 games. He made his mark as a potent slugger and skilled batsman in Japan. In his debut season in NPB, Altman hit .320 with 34 homers and 100 RBIs.
Altman remained with the Pacific League franchise that became the Lotte Orions (the present-day Chiba Lotte Marines) in 1969 through the end of the 1974 campaign.
An Accomplished Player in Japan
In six of his seven Orions seasons, he hit .300 or better, including a career-best .351 in ’74. He smacked 39 homers in ’71, his highest total in Japan. In his final Lotte season, Altman was diagnosed with colon cancer, and he was limited to 85 games as he underwent chemotherapy, starting that August, MLB.com reported in 2023.
He matched an NPB record by homering in six consecutive games in 1974.
Altman, a three-time All-Star with the Orions, wrapped up his career with the Hanshin Tigers in 1975, batting .274 and participating in 114 games, primarily as a first baseman.
George Altman (©SANKEI)
In 935 NPB regular-season games with the Orions and Tigers, Altman batted .309 with 205 homers and 656 RBIs.
“He was known for his charitable activities, such as the ‘Altman Seats’ program inviting children to games, and was affectionately nicknamed ‘Long-legged Uncle” due to his 6-foot-4 (193-cm) frame,” Sports Nippon reported.
Three players in baseball history competed in the Negro Leagues, MLB and NPB. Along with Altman, the others were Larry Doby and Don Newcombe.
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Former Chiba Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine attends a memorial service for baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima on November 21 at Tokyo Dome. (©SANKEI)
Lotte Marines Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Japan Series Title
In 2005, manager Bobby Valentine guided the Chiba Lotte Marines to a four-game sweep of the Hanshin Tigers in the Japan Series.
A party was held on Monday, November 24 to commemorate Lotte’s title-winning season.
At “Legends of 2005: Bobby Valentine’s 20th Anniversary Party,” the former dugout boss reflected on that special season.
Speaking at the party in Japan about his long career as a manager, Valentine said, “Some of them (special memories) were in New York, and some of them were in Texas, but many of them were here. And once again, I just want to say thank you for creating those memories.”
Akira Jacobs in an August 2025 file photo. (©FIBA)
Basketball
Yokohama Native Jacobs Getting Steady Playing Time at Fordham
After two seasons at the University of Hawaii (2023-25), forward Akira Jacobs transferred to New York City’s Fordham University.
The junior forward, who was born in Yokohama, is averaging 7.4 points points and 4.9 rebounds in eight games (seven starts) through Saturday, November 29. He scored a season-high 16 points in the Rams’ 88-68 win over the University of Albany (New York) on Saturday at the Northern Classic in Montreal, Canada.
Fordham, a member of the Atlantic-10 Conference, is 6-2 to open the 2025-26 season.
Before attending the University of Hawaii, Jacobs became the first Japanese prospect to participate on a full-time basis at the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia.
Jacobs appeared in three games for Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also saw playing time in four games at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, at which he averaged 7.5 points.
The interview below, done by Fordham’s WFUV radio station, was conducted before the start of the current college basketball season.
Horse Racing
Sugiyama Ranks 1st in Victories Among JRA Trainers
Haruki Sugiyama sits atop the leaderboard for victories (53) in 2025 among Japan Racing Association trainers, according to the latest figures posted on the organization’s website on Saturday, November 29.
In 2023, Sugiyama finished the year with the most wins (56) and was recognized at the JRA Racing Awards banquet in January 2024.
During the 2025 season Sugiyama is ahead of Mitsumasa Nakauchida and Takashi Saito, both of whom have 46 wins to date.
Tetsuya Kimura is next with 43, and he is No 1 in win ratio (24.4%). Yasuo Tomomichi rounds out the top five with 42 triumphs.
Among the top 20 trainers in the 2025 season win standings, Yoshito Yahagi is the leader in career victories with 937. Yahagi is also in sixth place (with 41 wins) for the current campaign.
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Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, attends a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on November 26 in Tokyo. (KYODO)
Quotes of the Week
“There are citizens and people here in Japan who have not given up on the idea of bidding for the Winter Olympics. We still have hope. I think, going forward, we have to try to bid for the Olympic Games in a totally different way.”
―Japanese Olympic Committee President Seiko Hashimoto, on future Winter Olympic aspirations for Japan after a past corruption scandal derailed the goal for Sapporo to host the 2030 Games. Hashimoto spoke at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on November 26.
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Celtic FC’s Reo Hatate in action against Feyenoord in a Europa League match on November 27 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (KYODO)
“People can recognize my strengths once they watch me play the entire game. I really managed to change the game today.”
―Celtic FC’s Reo Hatate, sharing his perspective on his dynamic soccer skills, Kyodo News reported. Hatate finished with a goal and an assist in his club’s 3-1 victory over Feyenoord in a Europa League match on November 27 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed’s [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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