Katsuya Sugawara

Katsuya Sugawara (菅原 勝矢)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 171 lbs.

• School Tokyo University of Agriculture
• High School Takanosu Norin High School

• Born April 4, 1945 in Odate, Akita, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Katsuya Sugawara pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 8 years.

Sugawara was signed by the Yomiuri Giants in 1964, but he spent his first three seasons primarily in the NPB Farm Leagues, and he only pitched 3 games with the big club. Sugawara joined the rotation in 1967, and he was 11-4 with a 2.75 ERA. He was also selected into the 1967 NPB All-Star Game, and he pitched a shutout inning in Game 1. In the 1967 Nippon Series, Sugawara pitched a shutout inning in Game 4 and he won his first Nippon Series title as the Giants beat the Hankyu Braves in 6 games. He was 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 1968, and he only pitched 6 games combined in the next two seasons due to a back injury.

The Akita native came back in 1971, and he had a 2.51 ERA in 25 games. Sugawara relieved Hidetake Watanabe in the 7th inning of 1971 Nippon Series Game 2, but he allowed 3 runs in an inning and Tetsuya Yoneda got the win over him; the Giants won the Series. He then went 13-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 1972 as a reliever, and he was 8th in wins (tied with Yukitsura Matsumoto and Masaji Hiramatsu). He outdueled Hisashi Yamada in 1972 Nippon Series Game 4 and he only allowed a run in 5 innings, and he got his third title. Unfortunately, Sugawara was hit in his left eye by Motoo Ando's comebacker on July 4, 1973, so he only pitched 6 games in that season. His sight was severely influenced, and he decided to retire in 1974.

Overall, Sugawara was 33-8 with a 2.98 ERA, struck out 315 and pitched 435 1/3 innings in 8 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 1967 NPB All-Star Game