Terutoshi Okiyama

Terutoshi Okiyama (沖山 光利)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 8", Weight 150 lb.

• School Meiji University
• High School Meiji High School

• Born May 1, 1933 in Tokyo Japan
• Died May 23, 2012 in Saitama, Saitama Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Terutoshi Okiyama played in Nippon Pro Baseball and for the Japanese national team.

Okiyama helped Meiji University become the first back-to-back winners of the All-Japan University Baseball Championship Series, in 1954 and 1955. He played for Japan when they won the 1955 Asian Championship, their first Asian Championship title.

He turned pro in 1956 with the Taiyo Whales and hit .202/.275/.269 while stealing 19 bases in 29 tries. He tied Atsushi Otsu for 5th in the Central League in swipes, tied Takao Sato and Kenjiro Tamiya for 9th in walks (40) and tied Noboru Aota for 7th with 69 Ks. The outfielder batted .250/.313/.303 in 1957. In 1958, his batting line was .218/.277/.271. His played time dropped in 1959 (.168/.226/.240 in 84 G, 200 PA).

As a part-timer in 1960, he hit .244/.317/.322 and went 17-for-20 in steals. Taiyo won its only CL pennant. In the 1960 Japan Series, he was 1 for 3 as Taiyo swept the Daimai Orions. He hit .218/.283/.280 in 521 regular-season games in NPB with 152 runs, 68 RBI, 140 walks and 62 steals (in 91 attempts).

He later coached for the Whales for 20 years.