Michio Nishizawa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michio Nishizawa |
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Nishizawa in 1949
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| Chunichi Dragons – No. 15 | |||
| Pitcher, First baseman | |||
| Born: September 1, 1921 Tokyo, Japan |
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| Died: December 18, 1977 (aged 56) | |||
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| debut | |||
| 1936, for the Nagoya Club | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1958, for the Chunichi Dragons | |||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Win–loss | 60-65 | ||
| ERA | 2.23 | ||
| Strikeouts | 404 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .286 | ||
| Home runs | 212 | ||
| RBI | 940 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1977 | ||
Michio Nishizawa (西澤 道夫, September 1, 1921 – December 18, 1977) was a famous Japanese baseball player. He was amazing because he could both pitch (throw the ball) and hit (play a position like first base). He spent most of his career with the Chunichi Dragons team. Nishizawa became one of Japan's most loved sports stars. His special number 15 jersey was even retired by the team, which means no other player can use it!
Contents
Early Career and Pitching Prowess
Michio Nishizawa started his professional baseball journey very young. He joined the Nagoya team in 1936 when he was just 15 years old. This made him the youngest player ever in the history of professional Japanese baseball!
He first became famous as a pitcher. By 1939, he was winning 20 games a season, which is a huge achievement for a pitcher. His most memorable moments as a pitcher happened in 1942.
Incredible Pitching Feats
On May 24, 1942, Nishizawa pitched an amazing 28 innings in one game! He threw 311 pitches in a long 4-4 tie against the Taiyō Baseball Club. Later that year, he threw his first and only no-hitter. This means he pitched an entire game without any opposing player getting a hit! He achieved this against the Hankyu Baseball Club.
Switching Positions
Even though he was a great pitcher, Nishizawa faced some challenges. He had a lot of work pitching, and he also got injured during his two years serving in World War II. Because of this, he had to stop pitching after 1947. He then switched to playing other positions, first at first base and later in the outfield. He continued playing until 1958.
In 1946, Nishizawa moved to the Gold Star team, which later became the Kinsei Stars. He played with them until 1948 before rejoining the Dragons in 1949.
Becoming a Powerful Hitter
At first, Nishizawa struggled a bit with hitting. But he worked hard and became a very strong hitter that other teams feared. In 1950, he hit 46 home runs, which was a new league record at the time!
His best season as a hitter was in 1952. That year, he led the league in two important stats:
- Batting average: This shows how often a player gets a hit.
- Runs batted in: This shows how many runs a player helps score.
Two years later, in 1954, Nishizawa helped lead the Dragons to win the Central League title. This was a big deal because it broke an eight-year winning streak by the Yomiuri Giants.
Later Career and Legacy
Michio Nishizawa played his last game in 1958. After retiring as a player, he became the manager for the Chunichi Dragons. He managed the team for four seasons, from 1964 to 1967.
In 1977, he was honored by being elected into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. This shows how important he was to Japanese baseball. His number 15 jersey is one of only two numbers retired by the Chunichi Dragons, showing his lasting impact on the team.
