Latest news with #JapaneseBaseballHallofFame
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Shigeo Nagashima, Japanese baseball legend with ties to the Dodgers, dies at 89
Former Yomiuri Giants player and manager Shigeo Nagashima, one of the biggest stars of Nippon Professional Baseball, died early Tuesday morning of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital, his former team said in a statement. He was 89. Nagashima played third base for the Giants from 1958 to 1974. Along with fellow superstar first baseman Sadaharu Oh, Nagashima led the team to 11 Japan Series titles, including nine straight from 1965 to 1973. He retired with a .305 batting average, 2,471 hits, 1,522 RBIs and 444 home runs. He was one of Japan's biggest celebrities, so much so that his 1965 marriage to Akiko Nishimura was nationally televised and was reportedly the country's most-watched program of the year. In 1975, Nagashima became the Giants' manager but was fired in 1980 after not leading the team to a Japan Series title. He returned as manager from 1993 to 2001, however, and led the Giants to championships in 1994 and 2000, with future MLB outfielder Hideki Matsui as his star player. Current Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani took to Instagram on Tuesday to honor Nagashima. He posted three pictures of the two of them together, including two from the Dodgers' trip to Tokyo in February for two games against the Chicago Cubs. 'May your soul rest in peace,' Ohtani wrote in Japanese. Nagashima could have become the first Japanese MLB player, and he could have done so as a member of the Dodgers. In the spring of 1961, the Yomiuri Giants visited Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., to train and play exhibition games. Then-Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley is said to have been so impressed with Nagashima — who in the previous season had won the second of what would be six straight batting crowns in Nippon's Central League — that he offered to buy Nagashima's contract from Giants owner Matsutaro Shoriki. Shoriki turned O'Malley down, and pitcher Masanori Murakami ended up becoming the first Japanese MLB player when he debuted with the San Francisco Giants in 1965. Chicago White Sox owner Bill Veeck also attempted to purchase Nagashima's contract in 1968 but also was thwarted by Shoriki. Nagashima maintained a close relationship with the Dodgers and the O'Malley family, particularly with Walter's son Peter, according to Walter O'Malley's website. The Dodgers posted a tribute to Nagashima on X, featuring a photo of the 1988 Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame inductee with legendary Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda. 'The Dodgers mourn the passing of Shigeo Nagashima, Japan's 'Mr. Baseball,' who died Tuesday in Tokyo at age 89,' the team wrote. 'Nagashima became a legend for the Yomiuri Giants, who have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the Dodgers from as far back as the 1960s. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and generations of fans.' Nagashima's wife, Akiko, died in 2007. They had four children, including oldest son Kazushige, a former professional baseball player who played for the Yomiuri Giants and Yakult Swallows in Japan, as well as 53 games for the Class A-Advanced Vero Beach Dodgers minor league affiliate in 1992.
The Mainichi
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Japan mourns death of professional baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan on Tuesday mourned the death of renowned former baseball player and manager Shigeo Nagashima, who earned the nickname "Mr. Giants" for his lifelong contributions to the sport as part of the country's most historically dominant team. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Nagashima, a recipient of the prime minister's top honor who died of pneumonia at the age of 89 earlier in the day, was "a national star who brought dreams and hope to the Japanese people." After joining the Yomiuri Giants in 1958, Nagashima played in 2,186 games and hit 444 home runs over his 17-year career. He won the Central League batting title six times, was home run king twice, led in RBIs five times, and was named CL MVP five times. In 2003, he served as manager of the Japanese national team for the following year's Athens Olympics, the first to feature only professional baseball players. But a cerebral infarction later prevented him from leading the team at the games. A charismatic figure known for his cheerful personality who helped boost the popularity of professional baseball, Nagashima was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 and received the People's Honor Award in 2013. "We pay tribute to the contributions of Mr. Pro Baseball, who was often compared to the sunshine, to Japanese baseball, and express our condolences," Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said at a regular press conference. The report of Nagashima's death spread across Japan on Tuesday morning, prompting an outpouring of feeling from baseball fans and those who had known or crossed paths with him. Mayor Tomonori Kiyoyama of Miyazaki, where Nagashima was an honorary citizen, said, "He brought great joy and vitality to our citizens. I pray his soul will rest in peace." Referring to the city's long history as a training camp site for the Giants, Kiyoyama added Nagashima's "passion for baseball and his love for Miyazaki are deeply engraved in the hearts of the citizens." In Tokyo, baseball fans hailed Nagashima as a "legend," with Genta Nakai, 31, saying, "He was a star, partly because of his cheerful personality." Masae Shinoda, 60, said, "I was shocked when I heard on the morning news that he had died. Mr. Nagashima was a hero to my husband," an avid fan of baseball. She thanked him for "giving dreams to so many young players."
Japan Forward
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Teruaki Sato Having a Stellar Season for Hanshin Tigers
Popular slugger Teruaki Sato leads NPB in home runs and RBIs this season. The three-time All-Star also hopes to have a future opportunity to play in MLB. Hanshin Tigers cleanup hitter Teruaki Sato smacks a run-scoring double against the Chunichi Dragons on May 10, 2025, at Koshien Stadium. (©SANKEI) Hanshin Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato, a mainstay in the lineup since 2021, is having a notable season in the 2025 campaign. Now in his fifth NPB season, the Hyogo Prefecture native is also closing in on a pair of career milestones ― 100 home runs (he has 95) and 1,000 total bases (he has 990) ― through Wednesday, May 21. Sato is one of NPB's top young players, a three-time Central League All-Star (2021-23). He's a fan favorite at his hometown Koshien Stadium and wherever else the Tigers play games. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger, who is batting .289, was No 1 among NPB players in home runs (11) and RBIs (33) heading into the CL-leading Tigers game on Thursday with the archrival Yomiuri Giants at Koshien. In addition, he's first in Japanese pro baseball in strikeouts (49). Indeed, the hard-swinging cleanup hitter often makes mighty contact when he hits with the ball (his 13 doubles and three triples in 2025 deliver ample evidence) or creates a stiff breeze when he misses. Sato's power-hitting ability is underscored by his impressive .616 slugging percentage. Teruaki Sato in a June 2021 file photo. (©SANKEI) Recognizing Sato's abilities as a baseball player, retired Hanshin legend Masayuki Kakefu recently expressed words of encouragement to him. "Don't let your condition fluctuate too much, but rather let the small [ripples] of good form help you stay in good shape and compete," Kakefu was quoted as saying by Full-Count, a Japanese baseball website. Kakefu, who bashed 349 homers in his NPB career (1974-88), which he spent entirely with the Tigers, then issued a pair of bold predictions for Sato. "I expect you to win the [Central League] home run and batting title," the 2025 Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame inductee was quoted as saying. In a live game telecast on Mainichi Broadcasting System on May 20, commentator Kakefu provided a slightly different analysis about Sato as a home-run title contender. "I think he has a great chance this year," said Kakefu, adding, "I think he has to win it this year." Teruaki Sato (©SANKEI) Sato didn't finish as one of the CL's top batters in his four previous seasons: batting averages of .238 in 2021, .264 in 2022, .263 in 2023 and .268 in '24. But he's elevated his play in 2025. After hitting at a .282 clip in April (24-for-85) with nine homers, Sato has raised his overall batting in May (.333) with a pair of homers in 16 games this month. In his first 41 games, nearly 30% of the entire season, Sato has been at his best with a 1-1 count. Opposing pitchers have been tagged for five homers against Sato in such situations in 2025. He's hitting .643 (9-for-14) when he puts the ball in play on 1-1 pitches. Conversely, the full count has produced considerable frustration for Sato. He's struck out 13 times on 3-2 pitches. Cutting down on strikeouts would help Sato maintain a higher batting average over the course of the season. It could also raise his profile among MLB scouts and front-office executives. In December 2024, Sato made an appearance on a Yomiuri TV morning program and outlined his future goals as a ballplayer. "Of course, I have been aspiring to play in the majors since I was a little kid," Sato said on Su Matan . "If I have a chance, I would like to make it to the majors." Sato, of course, isn't the only skilled batsman on the Tigers, who won the 2023 Japan Series. Teammates Takumu Nakano (.318), Shota Morishita (.304) and Koji Chikamoto (.302) are also among the CL's top 10 leaders in batting this season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Teruaki Sato pose for photos on March 16 at Tokyo Dome. (©SANKEI) Like the rest of the Tigers organization, Teruaki Sato said he was excited the team got to play the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs in a pair of exhibition games in March before the MLB Tokyo Series. Sato drove in a run with a fifth-inning single in Hanshin's 3-0 triumph over the Cubs on March 15 at Tokyo Dome. A day later, Sato grabbed the spotlight in the fourth inning. Facing Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell, Sato swung and missed a four-seam fastball on the first pitch. Snell followed with a pair of balls (both sliders). On Snell's fourth offering, Sato didn't connect on a curveball. Sato wasn't fooled by Snell's 2-2 pitch. He crushed the four-seam fastball over the right-center field fence to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Hanshin's Teruaki Sato belts a three-run homer off Dodgers star Blake Snell in the fourth inning on March 16 at Tokyo Dome. (©SANKEI) That blast accounted for the only runs in the game. In a feature story about Sato published in May in Sports Graphic Number and on the magazine's website, the popular slugger discussed his philosophy in the batter's box. "If you hit it hard, it will fly," Sato said. Snell was a 21-game winner for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, and amassed 14 victories for the San Diego Padres in 2023. "Of course I knew about Snell," Sato said, according to Sports Graphic Number . "But I never thought I'd be facing him." On the other hand, there's every reason to believe that Sato's fame will continue to increase throughout baseball. Tigers third baseman Teruaki Sato is interviewed after the team's 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 16 at Tokyo Dome. (Darren Yamashita/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
