Yoshinobu Uemura

Yoshinobu Uemura (植村 義信)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 158 lbs.

• High School Ashiya High School

• Born January 5, 1935 in Ashiya, Hyogo Japan
• Died May 30, 2023 in Funabashi, Chiba Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yoshinobu Uemura pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 9 years.

Uemura was signed by the Mainichi Orions in 1953, and he pitched 9 games with a 4.37 ERA in his rookie year. He improved to 9-15 with a 2.25 ERA in 1954, and he was 8th in the Pacific League in ERA (between Isao Wada and Taketoshi Ogami). Uemura then had a 17-10 record with a 2.13 ERA in 1955, but he also led the PL in wild pitches. He ranked 2nd in ERA (.05 behind Takashi Nakagawa), 9th in appearances (50, tied with Eiji Shibata) and 8th in strikeouts (146, between Taisei Nakamura and Nakagawa). In the 1955 NPB All-Star Games, he relieved Motoji Takuwa in the 3rd inning in Game 2, and he forced Wally Yonamine fly out. However, he then surrendered two doubles to Yoshio Yoshida and Hiroyuki Watanabe, then Michio Nishizawa crushed a home run; Sadaaki Nishimura succeeded him.

The Hyogo native was still a solid starter in 1956, having a 19-5 record with a 2.01 ERA and led the league in winning percentage. He was 8th in wins (10 behind Masayoshi Miura) and 8th in strikeouts (between Sadao Nishimura and Kakuro Tominaga). On March 30, 1957, Uemura only used 71 pitches to complete the game against the Nishitetsu Lions. He tied Shibata's NPB record for fewest pitches used to complete a game. Uemura ended up 8-16 with a 2.84 ERA in 1957, then he slumped to 3-9 with a 3.86 ERA in 1958.

Uemura bounced back in 1959, and he was selected into the 1959 NPB All-Star Games. He relieved Shoichi Ono in the 8th inning of Game 2, but he gave up a single to Shigeo Nagashima, walked Akira Owada then Kazuhisa Inao replaced him. Uemura was 14-8 with a 2.92 ERA in 1959, then he struggled in 1960 due to injuries; he had a 7.31 ERA in 11 games. He recorded a 3.19 ERA in 19 games in 1961, then he announced his retirement. He coached the Orions from 1962 to 1973 and the Hankyu Braves from 1974 to 1978. Uemura was the pitching coach of the Yakult Swallows in 1979 and the Nippon Ham Fighters from 1980 to 1983. The Fighters named him as their manager in 1984, but he was fired after leading them to a 21-37 record. Uemura then coached for the Lotte Orions from 1989 to 1991, the Yomiuri Giants from 1992 to 1994 and the Chiba Lotte Marines from 1997 to 2000.

Overall, Uemura was 74-69 with a 2.69 ERA, struck out 832 and pitched 1,240 innings in 9 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• Bio
• 1959 NPB All-Star Game