I liked hero programs more than baseball broadcasts.
Shigeru Kurihashi (manager of the snack bar Shamusun in Fujiidera City) is the legendary slugger for the Kintetsu Buffaloes, and was also known as “Japanese Hercules” due to his well-trained physique. Total of 215 home runs in NPB. He is famous for his heroism both on and off the field, such as when he was hit by a pitch because he was a strong hitter, and declared, “I felt superior because I was scared of him.” However, when he was a boy, the origin of this was “I didn’t even know how to hold a bat.” It was said that it was difficult to hit.
“When we were kids, we played games like baseball. We would buy sharp gloves and play “single baseball” by throwing them against concrete walls.” Born August 10, 1951. Mr. Kurihashi, a native of Itabashi Ward, Tokyo, attended Itabashi Ward Kami-Itabashi Daini Elementary School. “When I was in the fifth grade of elementary school, I first joined the (baseball) team at Abacus Juku, and played in only one game.I joined the No. 8 team in the middle and played left field.Towards the end (of the game), everyone (around me) was playing well.I felt like I was just following everyone else.”
Mr. Kurihashi, who also served as the No. 4 batter for Kintetsu, says with a wry smile about his childhood: “Even though I was a left-handed batter, I held the bat in reverse (the positions of my right and left hands).I didn’t even realize that.Even when I tried batting off the tee or batting toss, I couldn’t hit a ball.My return was too fast.No one taught me anything about that,” he says with a wry smile. That was the “beginning” of his career as a slugger batter representing the fierce bulls.
He said he had “no interest” in professional baseball. “I had heard the names of Mr. Wang (Sadaharu), Mr. Nagashima (Shigeo), Mr. Kaneda (Shoichi), and Mr. Hirooka (Tatsuro), but I had no idea about anyone other than Mr. Nagashima.” Apparently he didn’t even watch the TV broadcast. “On TV, I’d rather see (the special effects drama) National Kid or (the TV movie) Harimao. He wore sunglasses (like the main character Harimao) and wore a wrapping cloth (on his head)…That’s what he was good at.”
I initially avoided the baseball club because I didn’t like having a shaved head.
At Kamiitabashi Daini Junior High School in Itabashi Ward, he joined the kendo club. “I was planning on joining the baseball club, but the baseball club required me to have a shaved head, so I decided to join the kendo club.” But within a year, things changed direction. “In my second year of junior high school, I quit the kendo club because they said I had to have a shaved head.I played dodgeball for a while, and then a guy from the baseball club invited me.My mom told me that it was no good even though I quit the kendo club, but I told her I would never quit, so I joined the baseball club in my second year.”
However, I had to shave my head, which I didn’t like. “When I used the clippers to shave my head, I burst into tears.That’s why I didn’t really want to join the baseball club, but I guess my friend’s words at that time had an effect on me.” I joined the baseball club in the second year of junior high school. When he was in his third year of junior high school, he was the No. 5 batter and his position was first. “The pitcher’s ace was No. 3, the catcher was No. 4, and I was No. 5. We won at Itabashi and went to the metropolitan tournament, and Oshima and our junior high school came in third place.”
When he was in elementary school, he didn’t even know how to hold a bat, but in middle school, he practiced a lot and improved. “I remember one day, an alumnus came to me and said to me, “This guy is a good batter,” but everyone was good at it. Still, I’d say he was in the upper middle range. He wasn’t flashy, but in tournaments, he hit at least one hit per game. I don’t remember ever hitting a home run. After all, it was the guys at No. 3 and No. 4 that hit. I was more of a hitter in front of right field.”
“It was the first time that Kamiitabashi (secondary junior high school) participated in the metropolitan tournament when we (third year junior high school) were there.It was also the first time that We won at Itabashi.” If Kurihashi’s junior high school kendo club hadn’t always had a shaved head, he might have stayed that way, and if he hadn’t been invited by a friend from the baseball club at the right time after quitting the kendo club, there’s no telling what would have happened to Mr. Kurihashi’s baseball career. “I was good friends with him, and we used to play with him quite a bit. We played with him even after we became adults. He’s already passed away,” he said, looking nostalgic.
(Shinji Yamaguchi)
