Sadayuki Minagawa

Sadayuki Minagawa (皆川 定之)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 3", Weight 132 lbs.

• High School Kiryu High School

• Born October 9, 1919 in Gunma Prefecture Japan
• Died December 11, 1986

BR register page

Biographical Information

Sadayuki Minagawa played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 10 years. His son is former NPB pitcher Yasuo Minagawa.

Minagawa was signed by the Osaka Tigers when they were founded in 1937, but he only played 54 games combined in his first two years. Because he was short, umpire Nobuaki Nidegawa even mistook him for a ball boy. He hit .228/.335/.258 in 1939, then he played 104 games with a .187/.296/.238 batting line in 1940. Minagawa led the Japanese Professional Baseball League with 21 sacrifice bunts in 1941, and his batting line was .176/.302/.214. He was then enlisted into the military, and he missed the next six seasons. The Gunma native returned to the league in 1948, and he hit .211/.296.255 with a league-leading 21 sacrifice bunts for the Tokyu Flyers. He led the JPBL with 80 walks in 1949, and his batting line was .178/.295/.251. Minagawa then improved to .224/.317/.304 in 1950, and he recorded a .232/.291.333 batting line in 1951. He led the Pacific League in games played, sacrifice bunts and strikeouts. Minagawa only had a .193/.284/.249 batting line in 1952, then he announced his retirement.

Overall, Minagawa hit .204/.303/.264 with 630 hits and 21 homers in 10 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio