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

BR Register page

Biographical Information

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.

Further Reading

• Japanese WP page