Kazuhisa Inao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kazuhisa Inao
Inao (center) with teammate Yasumitsu Toyoda(left) and manager Osamu Mihara during the 1956 Japan Series
Pitcher
Born: (1937-06-10)June 10, 1937 Beppu, Ōita, Japan
Died: November 13, 2007(2007-11-13) (aged 70)
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
March 21, 1956, for the Nishitetsu Lions
Last appearance
1969, for the Nishitetsu Lions
NPB statistics
Win–loss	276–137
Earned run average	1.98
Shutouts	43
Innings pitched	3,599
Strikeouts	2,574
Teams
As Player Nishitetsu Lions (1956–1969) As Manager Nishitetsu Lions/Taiheiyo Club Lions (1970–1974) Lotte Orions (1984–1986)
Career highlights and awards
NPB 2x Japanese Triple Crown (1958), (1961) Pacific League Rookie of the Year (1956) 2× Pacific League MVP (1957, 1958) 3× Japan Series champion (1956, 1957, 1958) 4x Wins Champion (1957,1958,1961,1963) 2x Winning Percentage Champion (1957,1961) 5x ERA Champion(1956–1958,1961,1966) 3x Strikeout Champion (1958,1961,1963) 5x Best Nine Award (1957–1958,1961–1963) Seibu Lions #24 retired NPB Records 42 Wins (1961) (National Record, tied) 20 consecutive wins (1957) (National Record) 78 Games Played (1961) (Pacific League Record) 1.06 ERA (1956) (Pacific League Record, National Rookie-Year Record) 404 inning Pitched (1961) (Pacific League Record) 11 wins in single month (Aug, 1956) (National Record) 4 complete game in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied) 4 wins in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied) 11 career wins in Japan Series (tied with Tsuneo Horiuchi)
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1993

Kazuhisa Inao (稲尾 和久, Inao Kazuhisa, June 10, 1937 – November 13, 2007) was a famous Japanese baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Inao was known for his amazing pitching skills.

He achieved many incredible things during his career. In 1957, he won 20 games in a row! In the 1958 Japan Series, his team was losing badly. But Inao pitched in six games and won four of them in a row. He even hit a home run in one of those games! Fans were so impressed, they called him "God, Buddha, Inao" because he seemed unstoppable.

Inao was named the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player twice, in 1957 and 1958. He had an incredible 42 wins in the 1961 season. After a shoulder injury in 1964, he still returned to pitch. He retired as a player in 1969. Later, he became a manager for the Nishitetsu Lions and Lotte Orions. In 1993, he was honored by being inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. His jersey number, 24, was retired by the Saitama Seibu Lions in 2012.

Kazuhisa Inao's Amazing Career

Early Days and Big Wins

Kazuhisa Inao started his professional baseball journey in 1956. He quickly became a star pitcher for the Nishitetsu Lions. In his first year, he showed everyone how talented he was. He had a super low ERA of 1.06, which was a record for a rookie.

He kept getting better each year. In 1957, he won 35 games and had an amazing streak of 20 consecutive wins. This is still a national record in Japan! He also helped his team win the Japan Series three times in a row, from 1956 to 1958.

Setting Unbreakable Records

Inao set many records that still stand today. In 1961, he won an incredible 42 games in one season. This is tied for the national record. He also pitched 404 innings that year, which is a record for the Pacific League.

Here are some of his other big achievements:

• Rookie of the Year: 1956
• Wins Champion: 4 times (1957, 1958, 1961, 1963)
• Winning Percentage Champion: 2 times (1957, 1961)
• ERA Champion: 5 times (1956–1958, 1961, 1966)
• Strikeout Champion: 3 times (1958, 1961, 1963)
• MVP: 2 times (1957–1958)
• Best Nine Award: 5 times (1957–1958, 1961–1963)
• National Records:
  • 42 Wins (1961) (tied)
  • 20 consecutive wins (1957)
  • 11 wins in a single month (August, 1956)
• Pacific League Records:
  • 78 Games Played (1961)
  • 1.06 ERA (1956) (also a national rookie-year record)
  • 404 innings Pitched (1961)
• Japan Series Records:
  • 4 complete games in a single series (1958) (tied)
  • 4 wins in a single series (1958) (tied)
  • 11 career wins in the Japan Series (tied with Tsuneo Horiuchi)

From Pitcher to Manager: His Legacy

After his playing career, Inao continued to be involved in baseball. He managed the Nishitetsu Lions from 1970 to 1974. He also managed the Lotte Orions from 1984 to 1986.

His impact on Japanese baseball was huge. He is remembered as one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His number 24 jersey was retired by the Seibu Lions, showing how much he meant to the team and its fans.

Kazuhisa Inao's Career Numbers

Here are some of Kazuhisa Inao's career statistics as a pitcher:

• Bolded figures mean he led the league in that category for that year.