Hiroshi Nakahara

Hiroshi Nakahara (中原 宏)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 143 lbs.

• High School Kyoei Shogyo High School

• Born August 29, 1923 in Gifu, Gifu Japan
• Died September 27, 1986

BR register page

Biographical Information

Hiroshi Nakahara pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 9 years.

Nakahara was signed by the Hanshin Tigers in 1943, but he only pitched 9 games for them then he was enlisted into the military. He returned to NPB in 1948, and he joined the Nankai Hawks. Nakahara was 13-7 with a 2.27 ERA in 1948, and he slumped to 13-13 with a 4.22 ERA in 1949. He also set the NPB record by recording 3 wild pitches in an inning, and he ranked 5th in strikeouts in Japanese Professional Baseball League (between Hiroshi Katayama and Takao Fujimura). Nakahara then went 10-12 with a 3.36 ERA in 1950, but he only pitched 8 games due to injuries in 1951. The Hawks named him their starter of the 1951 Nippon Series Game 2, but he allowed 2 runs in 5 innings and Kiyoshi Matsuda got the win over him. He then allowed a run in 1/3 of a inning in Game 5, and the Yomiuri Giants beat the Hawks in 5 games.

The Gifu native came back in 1952, having a 11-5 record with a 2.82 ERA. He was selected into the 1952 NPB All-Star Games, but he didn't appeared in either of the games. He also ranked 7th in ERA in the Pacific League, between Takeshi Nomura and Giichi Hayashi). In the 1952 Nippon Series, he started in Game 2, but he allowed 5 runs in 4 innings and Hideo Fujimoto outdueled him with a shutout. The Hawks were beaten by the Giants in 6 games. Nakahara was 8-5 with a 3.58 ERA in 1953, and he appeared in the 1953 Nippon Series. As the starter of Game 3, he pitched 6 1/3 innings with 2 runs allowed, and he also crushed a solo home run against Takehiko Bessho. He than pitched 1/3 of a shutout inning in Game 7, but the Giants still beat them.

Nakahara had a 7-8 record with a 2.67 ERA in 1954, then pitched 4 games with a 4.09 ERA in 1955. He announced his retirement after the 1955 season. He coached the Hawks from 1956 to 1958 and from 1961 to 1965. Nakahara then went to the Sankei Swallows, and he was their bench coach from 1966 to 1967. He also served as an interim manager in 1967 for 2 months, and he led the Swallows having a 16-12 record. Nakahara then coached the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1969 to 1973, the Hankyu Braves from 1976 to 1979 and the Hawks from 1980 to 1985.

Overall, Nakahara was 67-52 with a 3.24 ERA, struck out 444 and pitched 1,092 2/3 innings in 9 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio