Atsushi Kono

Atsushi Kono (河野 安通志)

• School Waseda University
• High School Yokohama Shogyo High School, Meiji Gakuin

• Born March 11, 1884 in Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan
• Died January 13, 1946 in Shinagawa, Tokyo Japan

Biographical Information

Atsushi Kono was a pitcher at Waseda in all 26 games of their 1905 American tour, he brought back the windup and "slow ball" pitching. In 1936, he founded the pro team Nagoya and in 1937 he helped build Korakuen Stadium. However, he decided to expel his pro team due to World War II. After the War, he founded the Tokyo Cubs and tried to come back to the NPB. The general manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Tadao Ichioka, opposed the move and persuaded the president of the NPB, Ryoji Suzuki, to reject him. Kono couldn't take another action because he passed away before the notification. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1960.