Kingo Motoyashiki

Kingo Motoyashiki (本屋敷 錦吾)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6", Weight 147 lb.

• School Rikkyo University
• High School Ashiya High School

• Born October 31, 1935 in Kobe, Hyogo Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kingo Motoyashiki was an infielder in Nippon Pro Baseball for 12 years.

In the 1952 summer Koshien, Motoyashiki helped his team to a national title. In college, he captained a Rikkyo University team which included future superstars Shigeo Nagashima and Tadashi Sugiura.

Motoyashiki turned pro in 1958 with the Hankyu Braves, hitting .260/.289/.347 with 33 steals in 45 tries and 10 triples. He tied Roberto Barbon for the Pacific League lead in triples and was five steals behind PL leader Barbon.

Motoyashiki batted .216/.256/.245 with 28 steals in 33 tries for Hankyu in 1959. In 1960, Kingo produced at a .264/.292/.334 clip with 24 stolen bases but was thrown out running 16 times. He made the PL All-Star team. The Kobe native hit .270/.320/.373 in 1961.

For Hankyu in 1962, Motoyashiki hit only .207/.253/.290 with 19 steals in 28 tries. He batted .212/.253/.291 in 1963 and was then sold to the Hanshin Tigers.

In 1964, Kingo batted .221/.256/.297 and stole 17 bases in 25 attempts. As Hanshin's second baseman in the 1964 Japan Series, he was 3 for 19 with a steal as they fell in 7 games. Motoyashiki fell to .181/.240/.231 and only 5 steals in 1965 but still made the Central League All-Star team. He hit .215/.281/.250 in 70 games in 1966.

Motoyashiki hit .254/.295/.295 in 1967 and .191/.249/.264 in 1968. He was 1 for 18 with two walks in 1969 to wind things down.

Overall, Motoyashiki played 1,195 games in NPB and hit .227/.269/.296, low for even that deadball era. He stole 154 bases in 223 tries.

After retiring, Kingo coached for Hankyu and then was a baseball commentator for Mainichi Broadcasting.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland