Tributes to Shigeo Nagashima pour in from Japanese sports world

The Mainichi

2 days ago

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese baseball luminaries and other sporting figures have paid tribute to Yomiuri Giants icon Shigeo Nagashima, who died of pneumonia at 89 on Tuesday.
Among them was former Giants teammate and fellow Japanese Baseball Hall of Famer Sadaharu Oh, who visited Nagashima's house to see his body laid out.
"He was always forward-thinking and someone who pulled us in with his character, before we knew it. He was just a special presence," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was still there like before and I was relieved to see his face. These days will eventually arrive for everyone, but it came to the last person I wanted it to."
While the pair, known by the nickname "O-N," helped the Giants forge a dynasty with nine straight Central League and Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973, the 85-year-old Oh, whose 868 home runs are the most in Nippon Professional Baseball history, said he was always looking up to his older teammate.
"I couldn't match him at all in terms of presence, so I had to show it with my bat. I could only compete with him with my numbers," Oh said. "Shigeo Nagashima was the man inside the head of every pro baseball player."
Japan's 2009 World Baseball Classic-winning skipper Tatsunori Hara, who hit 382 homers for the Giants before managing them for 17 seasons, winning nine CL pennants and three Japan Series titles, said Nagashima was "rigorous when it came to winning and losing."
"But he was nice to people and loved by everyone," said the 66-year-old Hara, who played and coached under Nagashima, known as "Mr. Giants," before succeeding him as skipper in 2002.
"He was my idol, the symbol of the sport and a god-like figure. He was always shining brightly and influenced me the most as a player, coach and manager."
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers offered his "sincere condolences" in an Instagram post featuring three photos of him and Nagashima together.
Ohtani, who hit his MLB lead-tying 23rd home run of the season after the news of Nagashima's death broke, met Nagashima at Tokyo Dome in March when the Dodgers played their two-game season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs.
The San Diego Padres' Yu Darvish wrote on social media site X, "It's been a sad day," as he sent his prayers to Nagashima, while Kodai Senga of the New York Mets called him "a legend among legends."
Nagashima's 59-year-old son Kazushige, who played for the Yakult Swallows and the Giants, said, "Baseball was his life and what he loved most."
"I feel he had the happiest 89 years, more than anyone, in his baseball life," he said in a statement. "He has returned to the planet of baseball. I'm sure he'd wish that much of the passion he left in the ballpark will help develop Japanese pro baseball, even if only slightly."
Saburo Kawabuchi, the inaugural chairman of both football's J-League and basketball's B-League, who was born in 1936 like Nagashima, said he was "grateful for his distinguished service that kept providing Japan with energy, courage and hope."
Japan Sports Agency Commissioner Koji Murofushi, who won the men's hammer gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said Nagashima's "each word and action was made with the fans in mind."
"He was a star who provided the public with positive news," the 50-year-old said. "He really supported me when I was competing and I thought he was so broadminded. I send my condolences."
Yokozuna Onosato, sumo's new 24-year-old grand champion, said he recalled Nagashima receiving the People's Honor Award in 2013 along with the wrestler's fellow Ishikawa Prefecture native and former New York Yankee Hideki Matsui.
"He's a legendary, historic figure with great records. It's sad news," he said.