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Shigeo Nagashima, one of the biggest Japanese baseball players of all time, has died at the age of 89.
The Yomiuri giants, the Nippon Professional Baseball League team he played for and managed throughout his famous career in Japan, his death confirmed on Tuesday.
While he was a Japanese legend, Nagashima was loved globally, and it showed with the outflow of love and support after the news of his death, including from Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani.
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Former Yomiuri Giants -Manager Shigeo Nagashima participates in Nagashima Japan Dream Project at Makuhari Messe 19 January 2008 in Chiba, Japan. (Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)
“May your soul rest in peace,” said Ohtani’s caption on Instagram during a photo of Ohtani and Nagashima when he was translated into English.
Ohtanis Dodgers, who tried to buy Nagashima’s contract from Giants while playing, also shared compassion.
Shohei Ohtani throws 29 seats in the second live batting practice after surgery
“Dodgers make sure Shigeo Nagashima, Japan’s ‘Mr. Baseball’, died Tuesday in Tokyo at the age of 89,” Dodgers said. “Nagashima became a legend for the Yomiuri giants who have had a long -term relationship with dodgers from as far back as in the 1960s. We expand our inner compassion to his family and generations of fans.”
In 17 NPB seasons, Nagashima starred in Giants, and jumped .305/.379/.540 with 44 home runs and 190 stolen bases from 1958-74. He was named Central League most valuable player five times as one of the most feared mothers in the sport.
Third Baseman Shigeo Nagashima from the Tokyo giants in the Japanese Central League move to a ball hit against baseline during a spring training game in March 1971 against Baltimore Orioles at Miami Stadium in Miami, Fla. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
Nagashima and colleague Japanese playful Sadaharu Oh helped Giants win the Nine Straight Japan series, and Nagashima won 11 overall over her play days.
When his career was over in uniform, Nagashima and Oh shifts changed giants as leaders. Nagashima won a couple of Japan series titles as manager, including his 1994 season with Hideki Matsui, who was a leader.
Matsui continued to star for New York Yankees in the big leagues as Japanese superstars on their way to MLB became more common. Matsui was instrumental in bringing Yankees their 27th world title in 2009.
Shohei Ohtani responded to the death of Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Nagashima remained associated with the game in the end, including his role as a torch container at Summer -ol in 2020 with Oh and Matsui.
