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Former Nankai Star and Manager Yoshinori Hirose Dies at 89

He died of heart failure on Nov. 2 in Hiroshima, and a family-only funeral has already been held.

Overview

  • He powered Nankai’s golden era as a swift leadoff threat, later guiding the club as manager after his 1977 retirement.
  • From 1961 to 1965 he won five consecutive stolen base titles, finishing with 596 steals that stood as the pro record before being surpassed.
  • In 1964 he hit .366 to win the batting title and set a streak of 31 consecutive stolen bases with an .829 career success rate.
  • His career totals include 2,190 games, 2,157 hits, 131 home runs and 705 RBIs with a .282 batting average.
  • After managing Nankai, he coached Daiei in 1991–92, worked as a broadcaster in Hiroshima and was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.