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by | Mar 16, 2018 | Hosta

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Masahiro 'Masa' Yamamoto (山本昌, born August 11, 1965, in Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a left-handed, retired Japanese professional baseball pitcher. A screwballer, Yamamoto pitched for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball for 29 years from 1986 to 2015. He is the oldest Japanese pitcher to win a baseball game.[1] With 200+ career victories, he is a member of Meikyukai.

Biography

Yamamoto attended Nichidai Fujisawa High School, and was selected at age 18 by Chunichi.[2]

Yamamoto was the Central League Earned Run Average Champion in 1993, posting a 2.05 ERA. He won the 1994 Eiji Sawamura Award, going 19–8 with 3.49 ERA and 14 complete games.

On September 16, 2006, Yamamoto threw a no-hitter against the Hanshin Tigers, becoming the oldest pitcher in NPB to throw a no-hit game.

On September 5, 2014, Yamamoto won his first and only start of the season at Nagoya Dome in a shutout match against the Hanshin Tigers, making him the oldest Japanese pitcher to win a game, at 49 years, 25 days, surpassing the old mark of 48 years, 4 months set by the Hankyu Braves’ Shinji Hamazaki in 1950.[2] During the game, he threw 90 pitches in five scoreless innings, gave up five hits and a walk, and striking out two.

Yamamoto has pitched in six Japan Series with the Dragons, with his team winning once (in 2007).

Other activities

Yamamoto is a well known RC model aficionado, and came in 4th place in a RC tournament in 2002.[3] He has also hosted an RC model TV show on Fuji TV ONE titled Yamamoto Masa no Rajiko Dojo.[4]

In addition, Yamamoto also has owned shares of racehorses, with his most successful horses being Al Ain and Shahryar.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Snyder, Matt. "Masahiro Yamamoto will turn 50 next year while pitching in Japan," CBSSports.com (November 6, 2014).
  2. ^ a b "Dragons lefty Yamamoto sets NPB record for oldest winning pitcher at age 49". The Japan Times. September 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
  3. ^ "2002 1/10EPツーリングカースポーツクラス決勝成績". www.jmrca.jp. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  4. ^ "山本昌のラジ魂道場". フジテレビ ONE TWO NEXT(ワンツーネクスト) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  5. ^ "山本昌さんが"日本ダービーオーナー"に「うれしくて頭をぶつけました」一口馬主で出資 単勝５万円的中". スポーツ報知 (in Japanese). 2021-05-30. Retrieved 2023-04-23.

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