Shigeo
Nagashima, (Nagashima Shigeo) Japan’s “Mr. Baseball” and “Mr. Giants.”
autographed baseball in Beautiful Nr Mt+ condition.
Nagashima
made his professional debut in 1958, became the team's clean-up hitter mid-season,
and the Giants won the league championship. Nagashima played perhaps his most
well-known game on June 25, 1959, when the Japanese Emperor attended a baseball
game for the first time. Nagashima hit the game-winning home run, rookie
Sadaharu Oh also had a home run in the game. Nagashima led the league in HRs (29) and RBIs (92), and was
awarded Rookie of the Year.
The
years to follow would prove to be unparalleled in Japanese baseball history, with
the Yomiuri Giants lineup consisting of
Sadaharu Oh batting third and Nagashima batting fourth. Nagashima continued his hitting prowess, and
Oh emerged as the best hitter in the league. Nagashima
and teammate Sadaharu Oh led the Giants on an endless string of victories. They
achieved the famous Victory-9 stretch by winning nine consecutive Central
League and Japan Series titles from 1965-1973.
Nagashima
received five MVPs and the Best Nine Award every single year of his career (a total
17 times). He ended his 17-year career as a player with
444 home runs and a hitting average of .305. His jersey number (3) is now a retired number for the Yomiuri Giants.
He
became manager of the Yomiuri Giants from 1975–1980, and again from 1993–2001.
National
polls show Nagashima as the most popular and beloved sports personality in
Japan. Known both for his amazing athletic success and for his dynamic,
charismatic personality, he will forever remain in the hearts of baseball fans
and in the history pages of Japanese athletics. He
was awarded the People's Honuor Award in
2013, and in 2021 the Order of Culture.