Japanese HOF Project

[nat]

I found a copy of a Hamasaki card for sale, and decided to add him to my list. He’s in the hall of fame as a manager, and he had a short career, so I wasn’t after one of his cards originally. But he’s too interesting to pass up.

Shinji Hamasaki made his debut as a NPB pitcher in 1947, at the age of 45. He also pitched for Hankyu (mostly in relief) in 1948 and 1950, which means that his last appearance as a professional player was during his age 48 season. Prior to joining the Braves he (along with his younger brother Tadaharu) pitched for an industrial league team in Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state in mainland China prior to WWII. Before that, Hamasaki played for Keio, and was a notable figure in pre-professional Japanese baseball. That said, he didn’t fare well when he played against Ruth and the other visiting Americans. He was the losing pitcher in the November 17 game of the American players’ 1934 tour, gave up six runs in a relief outing in the November 24 game, and lost again two days later.

These days, what he’s most remember for holding the record for the oldest pitcher a win game, that would stand until Masahiro Yamamoto surpassed him, in 2014. However, he still holds the record of being the oldest player to collect a hit, a single, a double, a triple, and to steal a base.

He was really a manager though, helming the Braves from 1947 through 1953, then taking the helm during the inaugural year of the short-lived Takahashi/Tombo Unions. The team was terrible and only lasted through the 1956 season. Anyways, Hamasaki was with the Unions for only their first two seasons, he then sat out a few years before taking over the top spot with Kokutetsu in 1963. In all, his teams were pretty bad. Only the 47 and 49 Braves finished with a winning record. Hamasaki himself blamed Hankyu’s poor showing on ownership’s miserly ways. The more things change…

Japanese teams once had a prohibition on foreign players (and still have limitations on the number that can be employed), but once the prohibition was lifted (in 1952) Hamasaki recruited a pair of players from the American Negro Leagues – John Britton and Jimmy Newberry. Britton made the all-star team in 1952 and appears in a few Japanese card sets. When the owner of the team said that he wasn’t sure that recruiting Black players was a good idea, Hamasaki threatened to quit if the owner vetoed the signings.

After his last managerial gig he coached for various teams, and served as a commentator.

Hamasaki was born in 1901 in Kure. His parents owned a rice shop that was damaged in rice riots in 1918.

Rumor has it that he was the shortest player in the history of Japanese baseball.

JRM 48a. This set isn't listed in the edition of Engel's book that I've got, so I don't know the year on it.