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Shigeo Nagashima, one of the biggest Japanese baseball players of all time, died at the age of 89.
The Giants of Yomiuri, the Nippon Professional Baseball League team for which he played and managed throughout his illustrious career in Japan, confirmed his death on Tuesday.
While he was a Japanese legend, Nagashima was loved worldwide, which showed the outpouring of love and support after the news of his death, including the Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani.
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The former director of the Giants of Yomiuri, Shigeo Nagashima, attended the Nagashima Japan Dream Project in Makuhari Messe on January 19, 2008 in Chiba, in Japan. (Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images)
“May your soul rest in peace,” said the legend of Ohtani on Instagram under a photo of Ohtani and Nagashima when it was translated into English.
The Dodgers of Ohtani, who tried to buy the Nagashima contract from the Giants while he played, also shared condolences.
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“The Dodgers mourn the death of Shigeo Nagashima,” Mr. Baseball “from Japan, who died on Tuesday in Tokyo at 89,” the Dodgers said. “Nagashima has become a legend for the Giants of Yomiuri, who have had a long -standing relationship with the Dodgers since the 1960s. We have extended our sincere condolences to his family and generations of fans.”
During 17 NPB seasons, Nagashima played for the giants, reducing .305 / .379 / .540 with 44 circuits and 190 stolen bases from 1958 to 1974. He was appointed five -time Central League for five times as one of the most dreaded stripes in sport.
The third goal player, Shigeo Nagashima of the Tokyo Giants of the Japanese Central League, moved to a bullet affected towards the base line in a spring training match in March 1971 against the Baltimore Orioles at the Miami stadium in Miami, Florida. (Diamond / Getty Images images)
Nagashima and his Japanese compatriot Sadaharu Oh helped the giants to win nine consecutive Japan series, and Nagashima won 11 in total during his play days.
When his career was over in uniform, Nagashima and Oh took turns at the top of the giants as managers. Nagashima won some Japanese series titles as a manager, including his 1994 season with Hideki Matsui paving the way.
Matsui continued to play for New York Yankees in major leagues while Japanese superstars heading to MLB have become more common. Matsui helped bring to the Yankees their 27th world title in 2009.
Shohei Ohtani reacted to the death of the legend of Japanese baseball Shigeo Nagashima on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Nagashima remained connected to the game at the very end, including her role as a torch holder at the 2020 summer Olympic Games alongside Oh and Matsui.
