Okudera, Nagai among four JFA Hall of Fame inductees

Yasuhiko Okudera, Japan's first professional soccer player, and Yoshikazu Nagai, whose 272 games were the most in the history of the Japan Soccer League, were among four inducted into the Japan Football Association's Hall of Fame on Monday.

They were joined by Katsuhiko Kaneko, a pioneer of live broadcasting, and journalist Takeshi Narahara, who covered four World Cups starting with Mexico in 1970 as a reporter for Kyodo News.

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Ozeki Kisenosato wins to stay among leaders

Ozeki Kisenosato outlasted Gagamaru to maintain his share of the lead, while yokozuna Hakuho stayed in touch with the early pacesetters with a third win at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Wednesday.

Kisenosato had to dig deep into his energy reserves but still had too much gumption for the Georgian No. 2 maegashira, forcing him over the straw bales to preserve his prefect start. Gagamaru dropped to 1-3.

Kisenosato, fellow ozeki Kotoshogiku and three lower-ranked wrestlers improved to 4-0 on a day when Estonian Baruto was the only one among the six ozeki to bite the dust at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Hakuho, who lost his opening bout on Sunday, slapped down No. 2 maegashira Myogiryu (1-3) to take another step toward his 23rd Emperor's Cup.

Baruto (3-1), though, returned to the locker room shaking his head after getting mugged at the edge of the ring by Aminishiki (2-2), who prevailed with a pulling overarm throw to claim his second major scalp after opening the meet with an upset win over Hakuho.

"I was able to get a quick attack going. It's a nice feeling (to beat both Hakuho and Baruto)," said Aminishiki. "I just have to keep on giving it my best shot."

Harumafuji (3-1) showed nifty footwork and toppled top-ranked Takayasu (0-4) with a textbook "kotenage" armlock throw and fellow Mongolian Kakuryu (3-1) finally dismantled Toyonoshima (2-2) after an entertaining slugfest in the next bout.

Kakuryu who flirted with a championship at the spring tourney in March before losing to yokozuna Hakuho in a playoff, is fighting in his first tournament as ozeki. He is the first wrestler to attain the rank since Kisenosato secured promotion at the Kyushu basho last November.

Ozeki Kotooshu (2-2) returned to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against Goeido and Toyohibiki, the Bulgarian getting a firm grip on the front of winless Takekaze's mawashi and charging him out of the dohyo.

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Garnett, Bryant among top defenders

New York — Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant have been selected to the NBA all-defensive first team for a record-tying ninth time.

Garnett and Bryant were joined by Magic center Dwight Howard, who has won the past three Defensive Player of the Year awards and received the most points Monday.

Also selected for the first team were Heat forward LeBron James and Celtics guard Rajon Rondo.

Garnett and Bryant tied Michael Jordan and Gary Payton for the most selections in NBA history.

The league's coaches vote on the team.

The second team has Grizzlies guard Tony Allen, Hornets guard Chris Paul, Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, 76ers forward Andre Iguodala and Bulls forward-center Joakim Noah.

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Inaba, Kokubo should be among next to reach 2,000 hits

Staring down history: Yomiuri Giants star Alex Ramirez looks likely to join teammate Michihiro Ogasawara in Japan's 2,000-hit club, providing as he stays healthy. KYODO PHOTO

Michihiro Ogasawara finally ascended into the 2,000-hit club on May 5, getting the job done with a single up the middle against Hanshin Tigers pitcher Hiroyuki Kobayashi.

So as the club welcomes its newest member, the next question becomes, who's next?

Exempting the four active players to have already reached the milestone (active hits leader Takuro Ishii, Tomoaki Kanemoto, Tomonori Maeda and Ogasawara) there are seven current players with at least 1,700 hits.

The players to reach 2,000 in the near future will come from this group, though upon further inspection, it's likely not all of them will make it.

Going down the list in order, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks infielder Hiroki Kokubo (1,883 career hits) and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star Atsunori Inaba (1,867) should both get to 2,000.

Kokubo is aging and the injury bug is biting, but there is enough life left in his bat to make it to the finish line sometime next season at the latest.

Inaba might actually get there this year if health issues don't drag him down.

The Fighters veteran is still going strong and coming off back-to-back 150-hit years. Inaba has finished with at least 112 hits in each of the last seven years, playing an average of 132 games per season over that span.

Like the above-mentioned, Tokyo Yakult Swallows veteran Shinya Miyamoto (1,861) is worthy of virtual-lock status, having had at least 129 hits, and playing in more than 116 games each of the last four years. If not next season, Miyamoto should be celebrating in 2012.

Our next stop brings up the first real question mark in Chunichi Dragons catcher Motonobu Tanishige.

Tanishige has 1,824 hits, but hasn't had a 100-hit year since 2006. He's also trending downward, finishing with 90, 77, 62 and 75 hits from 2007-2010.

Also troubling is the beating he takes behind the plate for a team that's already sitting pretty in terms of corner infielders.

Tanishige, may ease his way to the mark, but it will be a laborious journey.

Yomiuri Giants outfielder Yoshitomo Tani is next on the active list with 1,820 hits, but is a longshot to reach 2,000.

The Kyojin are bursting at the seams in terms of talent and Tani's chances of being in the starting lineup on an everyday basis seem to be a thing of the past.

Talent-wise Tani can get it done, but unless he changes uniforms the plate appearances might not be there.

Rounding out the top 10 on the active list is another Giants player who should be a lock, Alex Ramirez.

Ramirez (1,738) is still raking at 35 years old and at his current pace should reach the goal sometime in late 2012 or 2013.

Ramirez is locked in on that goal and doesn't want to be remembered as having 2,000 hits combined between his career in MLB and NPB. Having risen to superstardom in Japan, the Kyojin slugger wants to record 2,000 hits in Japanese baseball alone.

The final player with at least 1,700 hits, and another who may not make it the rest of the way, is Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles slugger Takeshi Yamasaki.

Yamasaki currently has 1,721 hits. He's also 42 years old and rapidly declining.

Reunited with his old manager Senichi Hoshino this year, the veteran has showed vigor in the early stages of 2011.

His skills are leaving him though, and his value with his bat and his glove is something the team will have the assess in the very near future.

Possessing a decent power stroke, Yamasaki will remain a major player for the Eagles this year.

Still, at this stage in his career, it's likely Yamasaki will run out of gas on the road to 2,000.

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