Toshiharu Ai

Toshiharu Ai (阿井 利治)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 4", Weight 149 lb.
• High School Shizuoka Shogyo High School
• Born June 6, 1935 in Shizuoka Prefecture Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Catcher Toshiharu Ai played for the Kokutetsu Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball from 1954 to 1960. He was on the team that won the 1952 spring Koshien. He began his career with a .318/.400/.318 line in 22 at-bats in 1954, but proved to be a low-average hitter throughout his career. He was 4 for 21 with a double and two walks in 1955.

He earned the most playing time in 1956, when he hit .220/.272/.260 with the only home run of his career in 127 at-bats (72 games), backing up Kazuo Satake (other years he was third-string or lower). He batted .182/.274/.236 in 64 plate appearances over 34 games in 1957, was 0 for 5 in 1958, 0 for 2 in 1959 and did not bat in his lone game of 1960.

Overall, he batted .211/.277/.250 in 147 games. He then coached for the Swallows from 1962 through 1964.