Senichi Hoshino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Senichi Hoshino星野 仙一 |
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Hoshino in 2011
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| Pitcher / Manager | |||
| Born: 22 January 1947 Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan |
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| Died: 4 January 2018 (aged 70) Tsu, Mie, Japan |
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| debut | |||
| April 13, 1969, for the Chunichi Dragons | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 12, 1982, for the Chunichi Dragons | |||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Win–loss | 146–121 | ||
| ERA | 3.60 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,225 | ||
| Managerial record | 1,181–1,043–53 | ||
| Winning % | .531 | ||
| Teams | |||
As Player
As Manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2017 | ||
Senichi Hoshino (星野 仙一, Hoshino Sen'ichi, January 22, 1947 – January 4, 2018) was a famous Japanese baseball player and manager. He was known for his strong will and passion for the game.
In 2003, he led the Hanshin Tigers team to win their first Central League championship in 18 years. He then retired from that role due to health reasons. Later, in 2007, he became the manager for the Japanese national team. He led them in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In 2010, Hoshino became the manager for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. He guided them to win the Pacific League championship and the Japan Series in 2013.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Senichi Hoshino was born in Kurashiki, Japan. He was the youngest of three children. His father passed away when Senichi was very young. His mother raised him and his two sisters by herself.
Hoshino played baseball throughout his high school years. However, his team did not make it to the famous Koshien baseball tournament. He later attended Meiji University. There, he became a starting pitcher in his first year.
He won 23 games in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. This included pitching one game where no one on the other team got a hit (a no-hitter). Even with his great pitching, his university team never won the league championship.
Playing Career Highlights
The Chunichi Dragons picked Hoshino in the first round of the 1968 draft. The Yomiuri Giants had promised to pick him first. But they chose another player instead. This made Hoshino develop a strong rivalry with the Giants. He always played extra hard against them.
Hoshino joined the Dragons in 1969. He pitched as both a starter and a reliever. He quickly became the best pitcher on the team. In 1974, he led the league in saves. He also won the Eiji Sawamura Award, given to the best pitcher.
More importantly, his team won the league championship that year. This stopped the Yomiuri Giants' streak of nine championships in a row. Hoshino was called the "Kyojin Killer," meaning "Giants Killer." This was because he pitched exceptionally well against the Giants.
His team won another league championship in 1982. Hoshino retired after that season. His final record as a pitcher was 146 wins and 121 losses. He also had 34 saves.
Hoshino was very popular during his playing days. Fans were tired of the Yomiuri Giants winning every year. Hoshino's open dislike for the Giants gave fans someone new to cheer for. He stayed with the Dragons for his entire career. His teammates respected him greatly.
Becoming a Baseball Manager
After retiring as a player, Hoshino worked as a TV commentator. His popularity led him back to the Chunichi Dragons as a manager in 1987. Hoshino made many big player trades. He led the Dragons to a league championship in 1988.
He stepped down in 1991. He then returned to working as a commentator and sports writer. The Dragons did not play well after he left. So, he was asked to come back and lead the team again in 1996.
Hoshino won his second league championship in 1999. He stepped down again after his team finished fifth in 2001.
In 2002, Hoshino was asked to manage the Hanshin Tigers. This team had been in last place for four years. He helped the team improve to fourth place in his first year. He also brought in new talented players like Tomoaki Kanemoto.
The Tigers won the Central League championship in 2003. This was Hoshino's third championship as a manager. However, he often felt unwell during games that year. He decided to step down after the 2003 Japanese championship series due to health reasons.
He later became the manager of the Japan national baseball team in 2007. This team won the Asian Baseball Championship. This win helped them qualify for the Beijing Olympics. However, his team finished with no medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
After the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles needed a new manager, Hoshino was hired in 2011. He led the team to a fifth-place finish. The team's owner asked him to stay on. In the 2013 season, the Eagles won their first Pacific League championship. They also won their first Japan Series title.
The next season, the Eagles finished in last place. Hoshino announced he would step down as manager. He remains the longest-serving manager for the team.
Later Years
Senichi Hoshino passed away on January 4, 2018, in Tsu, Mie. He was 70 years old.
Images for kids
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Hoshino in 2011
