Tameo Iio

Tameo Iio (飯尾 為男)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 149 lb.
• High School Niihama Higashi High School

• Born October 15, 1933 in Niihama, Ehime Japan

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Biographical Information

Tameo Iio was a one-time All-Star in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Iio debuted with the Daiei Stars in 1951, giving up three runs and four walks in 1 2/3 innings. He was 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five games in 1952 and 0-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 1953. In 1954, he improved to 3-7, 2.58. He was only 2-13 despite a 2.64 ERA in 1955.

Iio set a Pacific League record with 13 losses in a row for the 1956 Takahashi Unions and finished the season with a 3-16, 3.51 record. It was a hitter's era so his ERA was above the league median, but he didn't get much support either from a 52-98-4 last-place squad. He was with the Toei Flyers in 1957 and was 10-10 with a 2.52 ERA despite a sub-.500 team again. He would have been 10th in the PL in ERA had he qualified.

Tameo was 2-1 with a 4.95 ERA while working mostly out of Toei's bullpen in 1958 then went 9-12 with a 3.10 ERA in 1959 to make his only All-Star team. He was 9th in the PL in ERA at year's end. Iio was 5-4 with a 3.05 ERA for the 1960 Daimai Orions. In the 1960 Japan Series, the Taiyo Whales swept Daimai. Iio pitched one inning of game three, walking two in a scoreless frame.

The Ehime native spent one more year with Daimai, giving up six runs and 19 hits in 12 2/3 innings in 1961. He ended his career on the back end of the Hanshin Tigers bullpen, going 1-3 with a 2.57 ERA in 1962 and having a 4.76 ERA in 12 games in 1963.

Overall, Iio was 35-70 with a 3.10 ERA in 319 career NPB games (120 starts).

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland