Kichiro Sasaki

Kichiro Sasaki (佐々木 吉郎)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 198 lb.

• High School Akita Shogyo High School

• Born March 15, 1940 in Akita, Akita Japan
• Died December 21, 2008 in Minato, Tokyo Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Kichiro Sasaki had pitched and completed a perfect game in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Sasaki represented Japan in the 1962 Asian Championship. The Taiyo Whales signed him in 1962. Sasaki only pitched 7 games with a 2.25 ERA in his rookie year. He joined the rotation of Whales in the next year, started 10 games, got 2 wins and a 3.67 ERA. He was 5-7 with a 2.54 ERA in the 1964 season. The Akita native only pitched 44 innings with a 2.80 ERA in 1965 due to a shoulder injury.

Sasaki came back and started a career-high 16 games in 1966 with a 3.04 ERA. He completed the 8th perfect game in NPB history on May 1. Originally, Sasaki was the opener for Shoichi Ono, with pitching coach Takehiko Bessho planning to change pitchers when Sasaki allowed any hit. But he remained perfect and completed this achievement. He still suffered from the shoulder injury, which limited him into 76 1/3 and 64 1/3 innings played in the next two years. He announced his retirement after the 1969 season.

Overall, Sasaki was 23-34 with a 2.94 ERA and pitched 563 2/3 innings in eight seasons in NPB.