Allegations of umpire bribery have surfaced again and again in the history of NPB. This article examines the debate over umpires' fairness and the course of institutional reform, from the Black Mist Scandal of the 1960s to the recent problem of blown calls.
NPB umpires undergo rigorous selection and years of development before taking the field, yet their training system remains largely unknown. This article details the path from recruitment to first-team promotion, judgment training methods, and the impact of technology.
In NPB games, official scorers hold the authority to judge whether a batted ball is a hit or an error. These rulings shape major performance metrics such as batting average, ERA, and earned runs. Yet the standards are not fully objectified, and many situations rely on the scorer's subjective judgment. We explain dispute cases over rulings, the ambiguity of the standards, the challenges of objectification, and the powers and responsibilities of the official scorer position.