Japanese baseball legend Isao Harimoto, the only player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) history to record more than 3,000 hits, has died at the age of 86.
Harimoto died at a hospital in Tokyo, leaving behind a remarkable 23-season career in which he recorded a record 3,085 hits.
Nicknamed the “Hit Machine,” Harimoto also hit 504 home runs and stole 319 bases, making him the only NPB player to reach both 500 home runs and 300 stolen bases.
Born Jang Hun in Hiroshima in 1940 to ethnic Korean parents, Harimoto survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.
He had also suffered serious burn injuries as a child, leaving permanent scars on his right hand. Despite his injuries and discrimination, he adapted by batting left-handed.
Harimoto began his professional career with the Toei Flyers in 1959 and went on to become one of Japan’s most celebrated baseball players.
He won the Pacific League batting title seven times, including four consecutive championships from 1967 to 1970.
His honours included 18 All-Star selections, the 1959 Pacific League Rookie of the Year award and the 1962 Pacific League MVP award.
Harimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
After retiring, he played a role in the development of South Korea’s professional KBO League, which was established in 1982, before becoming a prominent baseball commentator.
