Good day all!
On the blog today, time for another "Japan
Special" featuring a legend from the Japan League, this time a 1985 card
for slugging outfield legend Koji Yamamoto:
Yamamoto
was close to wrapping up a legendary 18-year career in japan, all with
the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, by the time this card would have seen the light
of day.
Over those 18 seasons, the man was a beast at the
plate, hitting 536 homers, with nine 30 Home Run seasons, with five of
those 40+, while also driving in 1475 runs, with six 100+ RBI years in
the mix.
His 536 homers are fourth All-Time in Japan, taking
home four home run titles, as well as reaching the 40-home run mark five
years in a row between 1977-1980.
He helped lead the Toyo Carp to five league championships, and three Japan League titles in 1979, 1980 and 1984.
On
the defensive side, Yamamoto was also awarded the Mitsui Golden Glove
Award for ten straight years between 1972 and 1981, also setting a
record of 302 consecutive plays with no errors in 1975.
Some
of the records he finished his career with were 40-home run seasons (5),
30-home run seasons (9), consecutive seasons with 20+ homers (13), and
consecutive hits (9).
Finally, in 2008, he was awarded his
rightful spot in the Japanese baseball Hall of Fame, joining the other
legends you've seen me profile here on the blog so far.
