Hiroyoshi Kodama
Hiroyoshi Kodama (児玉 弘義)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 8", Weight 167 lb.
- High School Tsuna High School
- Born March 13, 1942 in Tsuna-gun, Hyogo Japan
- Died February 5, 2009
Biographical Information[edit]
Hiroyoshi Kodama was a light-hitting catcher for the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1961 to 1972. He compiled a .204 batting average and a .252 on-base percentage over 647 games with 30 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs, and 79 runs batted in.
He debuted in 1961, going 1 for 6 in two games. He was 2 for 26 with 11 strikeouts in 1962. In 1963, Kodama hit .180/.226/.260 in 53 plate appearances spread over 60 games. During 1964, Kodama batted .245/.279/.337 in 79 games. He fell to .202/.255/.303 in reduced action in 1965. During the 1966 campaign, the Hyogo native produced at a .182/.212/.239 rate in 88 games, splitting catching duties.
Kodama hit .135/.151/.212 in 32 games in 1967, then .253/.305/.366 in a career-high 194 AB and 97 games in 1968. At age 27 in 1969, he hit .191/.248/.282 in 66 contests. In 1970, Kodama's batting line read .224/.309/.294 in 58 games. He hit .326/.370/.488 in 43 plate appearances in 1971, then wrapped up in 1972 by hitting .079/.125/.118 in 81 plate appearances.
Following his playing career, Kodama coached for Kintetsu and later ran the team's dormitory.
We're Social...for Statheads
Every Sports Reference Social Media Account
Site Last Updated:
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.