Hikaru Takano

Hikaru Takano (高野 光)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 187 lbs.

• School Tokai University
• High School Tokai University Urayasu High School

• Born May 20, 1961 in Koto, Tokyo, Japan
• Died November 5, 2000 in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hikaru Takano pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 8 years.

Takano set the record of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area University Baseball League with a 21-game winning streak in 1982. He was selected by the Yakult Swallows in the first round of the 1983 NPB draft, and he entered the rotation as a rookie. He was 10-12 with a 4.83 ERA, ranking 4th in the Central League in strikeouts (80 behind Kazuhiko Endo) and leading the league in walks with 82. He was 7-11 with a 4.97 ERA in 1985, and he was 4th in walks (5 behind Rich Gale).

The Tokyo native broke out in 1986, having a 12-11 record with a 3.80 ERA and again led the league in walks. Takano was 8th in ERA (.57 behind Manabu Kitabeppu), 5th in wins (6 behind Kitabeppu) and 3rd in strikeouts (141, 44 behind Endo). He was also selected into the 1986 NPB All-Star Games, and he threw 2 shutout innings in Game 2 after allowing a run in 1 1/3 innings in Game 1. He was named the closer in the middle of the 1987 season, and he notched 11 holds with a 7-6 record and a 4.02 ERA. He ranked 6th in saves, 15 behind Genji Kaku.

Takano was 7-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 1988, then he missed the next three season after he underwent Tommy John surgery. Takano came back in 1992, and he was 7-5 with a 4.75 ERA. He was the starter of 1992 Nippon Series Game 5, and he pitched 5 shutout innings but allowing 3 runs in the 6th inning and ended up with a no-decision. The Swallows were beaten by the Seibu Lions in 7 games. Takano missed the 1993 season due to injuries, and the Swallows traded him to the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks for Shikato Yanagita. He only pitched two games in 1995 for the Hawks then he announced his retirement. He then coached the Orix BlueWave from 1995 to 1998, the Mercuries Tigers of the CPBL in 1999 and the Hyundai Unicorns in the spring training of the 2000 season. He committed suicide the same year.

Overall, Takano was 51-55 with a 4.08 ERA, struck out 642 and pitched 887 innings in 8 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 1986 NPB All-Star Game