Collecting and Translating the 1973 Calbee Bat-Backs (Part 11)

 #56  Hiramatsu - Pitcher (Taiyo)

The Prince of Taiyo,  Hiramatsu

Hiramatsu entered amateur ball out of Okayama Higashi High and promptly won a title before coming to the pros, where it seems he wanted to sign with the Giants. The draft didn’t go as he wished, but now with Taiyo he is living the dream as a pitcher who goes toe-to-toe with Kyojin and emerges victorious. On gamedays against the Giants, he faces ON head-on with competitive spirit that is unmatched. The rapturous applause of the fans makes it all the more sweet. If he had joined the Giants, he wouldn’t have gotten a taste of quite such a feeling.

#57  Hiramatsu - Pitcher (Taiyo)

Hiramatsu’s Results and Mindset

Last year was a dud for Hiramatsu at 13-15, but this year as of June 7th he is, at 8-3, already more than halfway to his previous season’s win total. He is #2 among the Central League’s top 15 pitchers in ERA with 2.25. Coming from the same class as Enatsu and Horiuchi, Hiramatsu shares with them a strong spirit of rivalry as the big three fireballers, and pushes himself to the limit daily so as not to be outshined by them. He’s striving to go from being the Prince of Taiyo to Prince of the Baseball World.

Although this card states that Enatsu, Horiuchi, and Hiramatsu are from the same class year, Enatsu was a year behind Horiuchi and Hiramatsu in school, while Horiuchi was a draft class ahead of the other two.

 #58  Yamamoto (Kazu) - Outfielder (Hiroshima)

Hiroshima’s Veteran!  Yamamoto (Kazu)

A left-handed outfielder, this year is Yamamoto’s 13th as a pro. During his cleanup days, he could bat .300 even as a home run hitter. These days, he’s a team leader giving guidance to the other players. Though he’d like for the young players to make quick progress, that doesn’t mean he has nothing left in the tank.  Still working hard to lead the team, the lefty slugger is vital to Hiroshima winning a championship.

This card’s subject, Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, should not be confused with his teammate Koji Yamamoto. Although Kazuyoshi had a long and productive career with the Carp, Koji reached the Hall of Fame. It is likely the younger Yamamoto would attribute his success in part to his senpai’s mentoring.

#59  Sotokoba - Pitcher (Hiroshima)

Sotokoba

Sotokoba went 11-15 last season. This year as of June 7th he is 4-4 and  #9 among the Central League’s top 15 pitchers in ERA with 2.52. Though his lack of wins is a drawback, his heavy pitches get especially good results against the Giants. While many of Sotokoba’s losses can be attributed to a lack of run support, you won’t see him crying about it. Now in his 10th year, the team is behind him. “Sotokoba is our ace,” says Manager Betto.

Yoshiro Sotokoba threw three no-hitters all told, one of which was a perfect game. The hard-luck righty ended his career with an unflattering 131-138 record, but was ironically the Central League wins champion in 1975 (20). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

#60  Kinugasa - First Baseman (Hiroshima)

Hiroshima’s Big Gun, Kinugasa

The word ‘daredevil’ describes Kinugasa perfectly. Precision and brawn combined for a .295 average last year, missing .300 by just .005. A home run hitter who gets the crowd going, this year he’s working hard to add ever more sharpness to his already splendid hitting and reach that .300 goal.  Spurred on by the arrival of foreign player Hicks to the team, we hope he keeps cranking ‘em out of the park.

Sachio Kinugasa, Japan’s Iron Man, amassed 504 home runs and 2,543 hits en route to passing Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak in 1987. He was on hand at Kauffman Stadium when Cal Ripken Jr. in turn bested his own mark.