Tamotsu Kimura

Tamotsu Kimura (木村 保)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

• School Waseda University
• High School Yao High School

• Born September 24, 1934 in Osaka Prefecture Japan
• Died March 1, 2005

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Biographical Information

Tamotsu Kimura was a one-year wonder in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Kimura once threw seven straight shutouts in a high school tournament. He helped the Japanese national team win the 1955 Asian Championship, their first Asian Championship title. He turned pro with the 1957 Nankai Hawks and went 21-11 with a 2.47 ERA and .216 opponent average. In his first career start with Nankai, March 31, he threw a shutout; no Hawks rookie previously had done that. Kimura led the Pacific League with 23 home runs allowed, made the All-Star team, finished 8th in ERA (between Mutsuo Minagawa and Tsutomu Kuroda) and won Rookie of the Year honors.

Kimura only pitched four more games, going 0-2 with a 5.84 ER and .308 opponent average in 1958 before hurting his shoulder, ending his pitching career.

Despite having only 8 hits in 65 at-bats, Kimura was converted to the outfield. He was 5 for 24 with a walk in 1960, hit .226/.291/.331 in a backup role in 1961 and was 2 for 25 with 5 walks in 1962 to end his career. He had batted .182/.264/.243 for his career, with 93 strikeouts in 247 AB.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily