Masaichi Kaneda
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
former professional baseball pitcher. He is one of the best known pitchers in Japanese baseball history, and is the only Japanese pitcher to have won 400 games. He was inducted in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
in 1988.
Kaneda's was nicknamed "The Emperor" because he was the most dominant pitcher in Japan during his prime. He batted and threw left-handed.
. His son works as an actor, and his nephew, Akihito Kaneishi, also had considerable success as a professional baseball player. He has been married twice, and divorced once. He is known to have three children.
Kaneda quit high school in 1950, and joined the Kokutetsu Swallows (current Tokyo Yakult Swallows
) in the middle of 1950. Kokutetsu Swallows were a very weak team in Japanese baseball. Kaneda quickly became recognized as the best pitcher in Japan for his fastball and trademark drop curve.
The speed gun was not introduced to Japan until after Kaneda had retired, but he himself claims that the velocity of his fastball reached 100 mph during his prime. In Kaneda's rookie year, player Masayasu Kaneda from the Hanshin Tigers
complained that Kaneda's pitches were too fast because the mound was set too close to the batter's box. The game was stopped as the umpire measured the distance with a tape measure; the mound was found to be set the correct distance away from the batter's box.
However, Kaneda also had terrible control during the first few years of his career, walking over 190 batters in 1951 and 1952. Although his control got better as his career progressed, he eventually established the all-time Japanese record for walks. The only pitches he threw were his fastball
and drop curve
. He also developed an underhanded changeup
during his later years. Kaneda's massive workload and overuse of his curve caused massive amounts of pain in his pitching arm during the last few years of his career.
Despite marking an ERA under 2.00 for many of his seasons with the team, Kaneda still lost over 10 games in his first 15 professional seasons, including six seasons where he lost 20 or more games. He managed to win 400 games despite being on a horrific team for most of his career. About 90% of his 400 wins came with the Swallows.
He pitched a no-hitter against the Hanshin Tigers
in September, 1951, and a perfect game
on August 21, 1957. This was the fourth perfect game in Japanese professional baseball history. In the 1958 season opener, Kaneda struck out the rookie Shigeo Nagashima
in all four of his at bats. He did the same against Sadaharu Oh
in Oh's first professional game.
In popular culture, the protagonist of the giant robot series, Tetsujin 28-go
, is named after Kaneda.
Kaneda became a free agent, and joined the Yomiuri Giants
in 1965. Kaneda contributed to the teams' nine-year league championship
streak, and retired in 1969, after marking his 400th win. His jersey number, 34, was retired by the Giants in 1970.
Kaneda holds numerous career records in the Japanese leagues. Notable records include: complete games (365), wins (400), losses (298), strikeouts (4490), innings pitched (5,526 2/3), and walks (1,808). He also has the most home runs of any Japanese pitcher (36), and is one of the few pitchers that has played in over 1,000 games. He led the league in strikeouts (10 times), wins (three times), ERA (three times), and won the Eiji Sawamura Award three times. He also held the record for career ejections (eight times), before being passed by Tuffy Rhodes
in 2005.
) from 1973–1978, and again from 1990–1991. His team won the Japanese championship series in 1974, with Kaneda's younger brother, Tomehiro, pitching for the Orions and winning the MVP award. The Orions used uniforms designed by Kaneda for 19 seasons. He created the Meikyukai
club in 1978.
from 1965–1969.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
former professional baseball pitcher. He is one of the best known pitchers in Japanese baseball history, and is the only Japanese pitcher to have won 400 games. He was inducted in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame
The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a Museum which includes a library, reference rooms and Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame ....
in 1988.
Kaneda's was nicknamed "The Emperor" because he was the most dominant pitcher in Japan during his prime. He batted and threw left-handed.
Biography
His parents were Koreans in Japan and his real Korean name was Kim Kyung-Hong (김경홍). Kaneda was naturalized in Japan in 1959. His three younger brothers all played in the Japanese professional leaguesProfessional baseball in Japan
Professional baseball in Japan first started in the 1920s, but it was not until the was established in 1934 that the modern professional game had continued success.-History:...
. His son works as an actor, and his nephew, Akihito Kaneishi, also had considerable success as a professional baseball player. He has been married twice, and divorced once. He is known to have three children.
Kaneda quit high school in 1950, and joined the Kokutetsu Swallows (current Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
) in the middle of 1950. Kokutetsu Swallows were a very weak team in Japanese baseball. Kaneda quickly became recognized as the best pitcher in Japan for his fastball and trademark drop curve.
The speed gun was not introduced to Japan until after Kaneda had retired, but he himself claims that the velocity of his fastball reached 100 mph during his prime. In Kaneda's rookie year, player Masayasu Kaneda from the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
complained that Kaneda's pitches were too fast because the mound was set too close to the batter's box. The game was stopped as the umpire measured the distance with a tape measure; the mound was found to be set the correct distance away from the batter's box.
However, Kaneda also had terrible control during the first few years of his career, walking over 190 batters in 1951 and 1952. Although his control got better as his career progressed, he eventually established the all-time Japanese record for walks. The only pitches he threw were his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
and drop curve
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
. He also developed an underhanded changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
during his later years. Kaneda's massive workload and overuse of his curve caused massive amounts of pain in his pitching arm during the last few years of his career.
Despite marking an ERA under 2.00 for many of his seasons with the team, Kaneda still lost over 10 games in his first 15 professional seasons, including six seasons where he lost 20 or more games. He managed to win 400 games despite being on a horrific team for most of his career. About 90% of his 400 wins came with the Swallows.
He pitched a no-hitter against the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
in September, 1951, and a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
on August 21, 1957. This was the fourth perfect game in Japanese professional baseball history. In the 1958 season opener, Kaneda struck out the rookie Shigeo Nagashima
Shigeo Nagashima
is a Japanese former professional baseball player and manager.Nagashima was by far the most popular figure in Japanese baseball during his career. His contributions to the development of the sport in Japan are immeasurable.-Biography:...
in all four of his at bats. He did the same against Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh
Sadaharu Oh, or Wang Chenchih , is a retired Japanese-Taiwanese baseball player and manager. He batted and threw left-handed and primarily played first base. Oh, who was born in Sumida, Tokyo the son of a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother, had originally signed with the powerhouse Yomiuri...
in Oh's first professional game.
In popular culture, the protagonist of the giant robot series, Tetsujin 28-go
Tetsujin 28-go
is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centred on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controlled a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father....
, is named after Kaneda.
Kaneda became a free agent, and joined the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
in 1965. Kaneda contributed to the teams' nine-year league championship
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
streak, and retired in 1969, after marking his 400th win. His jersey number, 34, was retired by the Giants in 1970.
Kaneda holds numerous career records in the Japanese leagues. Notable records include: complete games (365), wins (400), losses (298), strikeouts (4490), innings pitched (5,526 2/3), and walks (1,808). He also has the most home runs of any Japanese pitcher (36), and is one of the few pitchers that has played in over 1,000 games. He led the league in strikeouts (10 times), wins (three times), ERA (three times), and won the Eiji Sawamura Award three times. He also held the record for career ejections (eight times), before being passed by Tuffy Rhodes
Tuffy Rhodes
Karl Derrick "Tuffy" Rhodes is a professional baseball player. He played six years in Major League Baseball in the US, and eleven years in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan....
in 2005.
Post retirement
Kaneda worked as a commentator before being called to manage the Lotte Orions (current Chiba Lotte MarinesChiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
) from 1973–1978, and again from 1990–1991. His team won the Japanese championship series in 1974, with Kaneda's younger brother, Tomehiro, pitching for the Orions and winning the MVP award. The Orions used uniforms designed by Kaneda for 19 seasons. He created the Meikyukai
Meikyukai
is one of the two Japanese baseball halls of fame . The Meikyukai is a company ltd. for public benefit.It was founded on July 24, 1978, to honor players born during the Shōwa period...
club in 1978.
Career statistics
Played with the Kokutetsu Swallows from 1950–1964, Yomiuri GiantsYomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
from 1965–1969.
- 944 Games
- 400 Wins
- 298 Losses
- 5,526 2/3 Innings pitched
- 4,490 Strikeouts
- 2.34 ERA
Managerial statistics
Managed the Lotte Orions from 1973–1978, and 1990–1991.- 1,011 Games
- 471 Wins
- 468 Losses
- 72 Ties
- Japanese Championship Series Winner (1974)