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▼ ‘Iron Man’ Kinugasa Dies at 71
- Category:Event
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Former Nippon Professional Baseball star Sachio Kinugasa, nicknamed the “Iron Man” for setting the then world record for consecutive games played with 2,215 for the Hiroshima Carp, died of ascending colon cancer on Monday, it was learned Tuesday. He was 71.
Kinugasa joined the Carp as a catcher in 1965 after graduating from high school in his hometown of Kyoto. He was soon converted to an infielder.
He played his entire 23-year career with the team until retiring in 1987.
Forming a powerful offensive duo with Koji Yamamoto, Kinugasa helped the Carp win the Central League title in 1975 for the first time since the club was founded in 1949. The team came to be known as the “Akaheru,” or the red-helmet lineup, a reference to the team color adopted in its first championship year.
Kinugasa was known for his consistency.
Despite breaking his shoulder in a game in 1979 after being hit by a pitch, he appeared the next day as a pinch-hitter.
In 1980, he broke the then-NPB record for consecutive games played by appearing in game No. 1,247.
Kinugasa joined the Carp as a catcher in 1965 after graduating from high school in his hometown of Kyoto. He was soon converted to an infielder.
He played his entire 23-year career with the team until retiring in 1987.
Forming a powerful offensive duo with Koji Yamamoto, Kinugasa helped the Carp win the Central League title in 1975 for the first time since the club was founded in 1949. The team came to be known as the “Akaheru,” or the red-helmet lineup, a reference to the team color adopted in its first championship year.
Kinugasa was known for his consistency.
Despite breaking his shoulder in a game in 1979 after being hit by a pitch, he appeared the next day as a pinch-hitter.
In 1980, he broke the then-NPB record for consecutive games played by appearing in game No. 1,247.
- April 25, 2018
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