“Workers of Showa Professional Baseball Talking to Reiwa” 28th Isao Hirono Part 2
(Part 1 “The man who got angry at the cheeky giant Horiuchi and fired a comeback goodbye grand slam.”＞＞）
A serialized series that unearths various episodes of “Showa professional baseball players” from past interview materials and conveys them to future generations. Isao Hirono, who joined the Chunichi Dragons after being a star player for the Tokyo Big 6 Baseball League, hit a dramatic come-from-behind walk-off home run against the Giants on August 2, 1966, during his rookie season.
It was a satisfying blow from Tsuneo Horiuchi, the “Bad Taro” who was a first-year student of the same draft and was bitter about his cheeky behavior despite being younger. However, in the following year, 1967, he hit 19 home runs, but suddenly received a trade notice to Nishitetsu. Mr. Hirono would later lead a checkered career in baseball, having experience as a newspaper reporter and a team front executive.
Hirono, who hit a come-from-behind goodbye bases slug for the second time during his time as a giant. At this time, “pinch hitter” is also attached (Photo: Sankei Visual)
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1967 off, traded in just 2 years after joining. What’s more, when Hirono signed his joining contract, he promised that “the Chunichi Group will take care of him even after he retires, so there is no possibility of a trade.” At a young age, he was also vice-president of the Dragons Players Association, so when he was notified, he was in tears. Fans were also unconvinced, and it is said that a petition campaign against the Hirono trade took place at Nagoya Station.
However, in the end, a one-for-one exchange trade was established with Nishitetsu’s right-hand man, Tsutomu Tanaka. Tanaka scored 23 wins in 1966, the previous year, and also achieved a perfect match. Nishitetsu, which welcomed Mr. Hirono with such a good pitcher, presented Hiroshi Oshita’s jersey number 3, which was considered to be permanently retired.
In the first year after the transfer, Mr. Hirono in 1968 started at No. 4 at the opening. 260 with 9 home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games that year. mentioned. He also made his first All-Star appearance.
“I was doing really well, but then came another hell of a wall. The Black Mist Incident…”
