My cousin Kenichi Kono recently got an iPad2. So for the first time, he has the capability to Skype. The other night, when I got online, I checked to see who was on Skype, and he was.

So I called him and we had a nice chat.

The man loves to talk.

He said he was watching a show that featured Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who played for the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants. In Japan, he played for the Hanshin Tigers and the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

I always thought a team called the Ham Fighters was a funny thing. My mother finally told me it was the company, Nippon Ham, that sponsored the team called the Fighters.

Oh.

It was funnier the other way.

Shinjo had a 15-year baseball career, but was never a star. He did become the first Japanese player to play in an American World Series game. Since he retired, he's been a fixture on Japanese television.

But did you know he's living in Topeka, Kansas?

I didn't. He married an American woman whom I assume is from Topeka.

Ken said Shinjo's favorite meal was fried chicken on which he slathers strawberry jam. Of course, Ken, who is a huge baseball fan, had to try it. He said it was very good.

OK, I admit it. I went out and bought fried chicken last night and also bought a jar of strawberry jam.

Was it good?

The jam was better on my toast this morning.