Hideo Fujimoto

For the Japanese wrestler, see Hideo Fujimoto (wrestler).

Hideo Fujimoto
Hideo Fujimoto
Yomiuri Giants – No. 23
Pitcher, Outfielder
Born: (1918-05-10)May 10, 1918 Busan, Korea
Died: April 26, 1997(1997-04-26) (aged 78) Japan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
JBL debut
1942, for the Tokyo Kyojin
Last NPB appearance
1955, for the Yomiuri Giants
JBL/NPB career pitching statistics
Win–loss	200–87
Earned run average	1.90
Shutouts	63
Innings pitched	2,628.1
Strikeouts	1,177
Winning percentage	.697
Career statistics
Batting average	.245
Hits	312
Home runs	15
Run batted in	151
Teams
As player Tokyo Kyojin (1942–1944, 1946) Chunichi Dragons (1947) Yomiuri Giants (1948–1955) As manager Tokyo Kyojin (1944, 1946)
Career highlights and awards
Japanese Pitching Triple Crown (1943) Eiji Sawamura Award (1949) 3 ERA titles (1943, 1946, 1949) 2x All-Star Pitched a perfect game on June 28, 1950 Pitched two no-hitters
Member of the Japanese
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1976

Hideo Fujimoto (藤本 英雄, Fujimoto Hideo) (also known as Hideo Nakagami) (May 10, 1918 – April 26, 1997) was a Japanese baseball pitcher. He holds the Japanese records for lowest career ERA (1.90) and seasonal ERA (0.73), as well as best all-time winning percentage (.697). During his career, which spanned the one-league and two-league era, he played for the Tokyo Kyojin/Yomiuri Giants and the Chunichi Dragons. He was the player-manager of the Giants in 1944 and part of 1946 (the league cancelled all games in 1945 because of the Pacific War).

Biography

Fujimoto, born as Lee Pal-ryong, was born in Busan, Korea which was part of Japanese Empire at that time, moving to Japan at age eight. He attended Shimonoseki Shogyo High School and Meiji University.

In 1943, he enjoyed one of the greatest seasons ever by a pitcher in Japan, winning the pitching triple crown. He won 34 games for the Kyojin, leading the league in wins, complete games (39), innings (432+2⁄3) and strikeouts (253). He threw a Japanese-record 19 shutouts and set the single-season mark for ERA at 0.73. In May 1943 he also pitched his first no-hitter, defeating Nagoya. Between August and September he threw a record six straight shutouts, going 61+2⁄3 innings without allowing a run, and 100 innings without allowing an earned run.

In 1944, in addition to pitching and managing, Nakagami occasionally played outfield. (He also spent significant time in the outfield in 1948.) Nakagami was a good hitter for someone who primarily played pitcher, hitting .245 with 15 career home runs (including 7 round-trippers in 1950). In 1946, Nakagami led the Japanese Baseball League in earned run average, with a mark of 2.11. Nakagami played for the Chunichi Dragons for one season in 1947, winning 17 games with a 1.83 ERA and 27 complete games. In 1949, Nakagami went 24-7 with a 1.94 ERA and 29 complete games, winning the ERA title and the Eiji Sawamura Award.

At Aomori Stadium, in 1950 he pitched the first perfect game in NPB history. He was the winning pitcher in games 1 and 5 (the clinching game) in the 1951 Japan Series, as the Giants beats the Nankai Hawks 4-games-to-1. He picked up a win the 1952 Japan Series (as well as hitting a home run) as the Giants were again champions, defeating the Hawks 4-games-to-2. Nakagami won another game in the 1953 Japan Series, as the Giants defeated the Hawks for the championship for the third year in a row.

After his playing career, he coached for the Giants and managed in the Japanese minor leagues, Later, he managed in the industrial leagues. He also worked as the Los Angeles correspondent for Yomiuri Shimbun.

Fujimoto/Nakagami was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)