Eiji Shibata

Eiji Shibata (柴田 英治)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 150 lbs.

• High School Tajimi Kogyo High School

• Born November 11, 1930 in Tajimi, Gifu Japan
• Died August 19, 1999

BR register page

Biographical Information

Eiji Shibata pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 11 years.

Shibata was signed by the Hankyu Braves in 1950, and he was 4-3 with a 2.61 ERA in his rookie year. He entered the rotation in 1951, and he was 6-13 with a 3.38 ERA. Shibata then improved to 10-11 with a 3.18 ERA in 1952, and he led the Pacific League with 4 shutouts (tied with Tokuji Kawasaki). On May 11, 1952, he only used 71 pitches to complete a shutout, and that is still the fewest pitches recorded for a shutout in NPB history. Shibata was selected into the 1953 NPB All-Star Games, and he pitched a shutout inning in Game 1. He ended up 17-13 with a 3.04 ERA in 1953, and he tied Atsushi Aramaki and Giichi Hayashi for 3rd in wins.

The Gifu native then had a 17-16 record with a 2.57 ERA in 1954, ranking 9th in wins (9 behind Fumio Takechi and Motoji Takuwa) and 4th in shutouts (4, tied with Yoshimi Ebara). Shibata was still a solid starter in 1955, and he went 17-8 with a 2.56 ERA. He was 9th in appearances, tied with Yoshinobu Uemura. He had a 12-8 record with a 2.52 ERA in 1956, then he slumped to 4-4 with a 3.27 ERA in 1957. Shibata was removed from the rotation in 1958, and he recorded a 1.90 ERA in 26 games. His ERA rose to 8.47 in 7 games in 1959, then he announced his retirement after having a 2.70 ERA in 13 appearances in 1960. He coached the Braves in 1970.

Overall, Shibata was 91-77 with a 2.88 ERA, struck out 650 and pitched 1,499 1/3 innings in 11 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 1953 NPB All-Star Game