Susumu Aizawa

Susumu Aizawa (相沢 進)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 151 lb.

• High School Kanagawa Prefectural Shonan High School

• Born June 9, 1930 in Tol South Pacific Mandate
• Died May 18, 2006 in Chuuk Federated States of Micronesia

BR register page

Biographical Information

Susumu Aizawa was the first professional baseball player from modern-day Micronesia.

Aizawa was the son of a Japanese father and Micronesian mother. After World War II ended, he was expatriated to Japan along with his father, while his mother remained in Micronesia. In 1950, he signed with the Mainichi Orions. He did not debut with them until 1953, when he allowed 8 hits (2 homers), 5 walks and 8 runs (6 earned) in 5 1/3 IP over 3 games.

Aizawa was picked by the Takahashi Unions in the expansion draft and was 3-5 with a 3.05 ERA in 28 games for the 1954 Unions. The team became the Tombo Unions for one year (1955); Aizawa had a 4-10, 4.33 record for a 42-98 last-place club. His 13 homers allowed tied Atsushi Aramaki and Fumio Takechi for 7th in the Pacific League. The team returned to being the Takahashi Unions in 1956 and Aizawa was 1-2 with a 4.71 ERA in 23 outings. When the club merged with the Daiei Stars to become the Daiei Unions, the team did not retain Aizawa's services.

He had gone 8-17 with a 4.20 ERA in 93 games (17 starts) in NPB. In 284 2/3 IP, he allowed 332 hits and 84 walks while fanning 82. He hit .192/.203/.260 in 80 plate appearances, scoring 21 runs and driving in four. He stole 8 bases in 11 tries and apparently was used as a pinch-runner regularly.

Returning to Micronesia, he ran a supermarket and a restaurant and was chief magistrate and council chairman for Tol Municipality as well as a member of the Tolensom Legislature. In the 1969 Micronesian Games, he trotted out to the hill again, 13 years after his last pro appearance but lost a 1-0 duel for Chuuk to the Palau team.

He threw out the opening pitch in an early 2006 Chiba Lotte Marines-Softbank Hawks (the eventual heir to the Daiei Unions) game. He died just over a month later, though.