The Ace of 1959
In 1959, White Sox pitcher Early Wynn won the Cy Young Award for being the top pitcher in all of the major leagues. As impressive as Wynn’s stats were, 6972 miles away in Japan, a remarkable campaign was being put together by a member of the Nankai Hawks. The pitcher’s name was Tadashi Sugiura, who would put together a season that would make Old Hoss Radbourn proud.
Sugiura began playing baseball in the fourth grade, but didn’t start to pitch until he was in high school. Sugiura was recruited to Rikkyo University, where he developed his submarine style delivery in his sophomore year. After finishing school with a record of 36-12, Sugiura was convinced to sign with the Nankai Hawks by Rikkyo teammate, star third baseman, and close friend Shigeo Nagashima. However, at the last minute, Nagashima backed out of the deal with Nankai and signed with Yomiuri Giants of the rival Central League. Sugiura had already signed with Nankai and was dejected that his friend had just abandoned him.
Sugiura had a strong rookie season. He threw 299 innings over 53 games and finished with a record of 27-12 and an ERA of 2.05. Despite a strong season from their rookie pitcher, the Hawks lost the Pacific League pennant by one game to the eventual Japan Series winner, the Nishitetsu Lions. The Lions had won the Series in seven over the Giants, who had gotten a strong performance by another rookie, none other than Shigeo Nagashima, who was chosen as the Central League’s rookie of the year.
However, the 1959 season was an incredible one for Sugiura. With his Hawks in a tight race with Daimai in the last two months for the Pacific League crown, Sugiura took total control of the pennant race. He pitched in half of Nankai’s remaining games, compiling a 17-1 record down the stretch. During that same period of time, Sugiura had a streak of 54 scoreless innings, striking out 95 batters while walking only four. But if you think that is impressive, how about an ERA of 0.10 to top off his impressive two month time frame.
With stats like that, it was no wonder Sugiura was selected as the league’s MVP. His complete 1959 resume looks like this: 38-4 record, 1.41 ERA, 371 innings, 69 games with 19 complete games, as well as 336 strikeouts to only 35 walks. Plus, his team would be heading to the Japan World Series after winning the PL pennant by six games. Their opponent would be none other then the Yomiuri Giants.
The Giants would not be an easy opponent for the Hawks to defeat. They had just won their fifth straight Central League title, although winning just one Japan Series in their previous four attempts. Nagashima led the PL in average, runs and hits and along with rookie Sadaharu Oh, formed the O-N cannon, which would eventually lead the club to nine straight Japan Series titles.
Game 1 of the 1959 Japan Series was held at the Hawks’ home field, Osaka Stadium in Naniwa-ku. Sugiura made the start despite a bruised elbow and would oppose Giants’ ace Taketoshi Yoshihara. The Hawks scored five in the first inning to take an early five-run lead, enough for Sugiura, who went eight innings, allowing three runs. With the score 10-3, the Giants scored four runs in the ninth off two different Hawk relievers but Nankai preserved a 10-7 victory.
The team had no intentions of using Sugiura in Game Two, instead starting Yoshio Tazawa. However, Tazawa gave up two runs, both coming off a home run by Nagashima, and was relieved by Kiyohiro Miura. Miura lasted only three innings and manager Kazuto Tsuruoka had no choice but to bring Sugiura into the game with a two-run lead, thanks to a four-run fourth by the Hawks. Sugiura pitched the last five innings to earn the win, surrendering only one run and his club took a 2-0 series lead with a 6-3 victory.
After a travel day, the series resumed at Korakuen Stadium, home of the Giants. Sugiura started again, but surrendered an early run in the first. The Hawks came back to score two in the second and the game remained at 2-1 until the ninth. Still with a one-run lead intact, Sugiura allowed the Giants to tie the game and send it to extra innings. However, the Hawks bailed out their pitcher in the 10th, scoring once more. Sugiura stayed in for the tenth and held off the Giants for another series victory, and the Hawks were one win away from a Series sweep.
Tazawa was scheduled to get the ball on the bump for Game Four the following day, but the game was rained out and rescheduled for the day following. With an extra off day, Tsuruoka started Sugiura again and hoped he’d close out the series. The last game of the series was maybe perhaps his finest, allowing just five hits while pitching a complete game shutout in a 3-0 series-clinching win. He did this despite popping a nasty blood blister on his middle throwing finger in the fifth, with many of his pitches from that point on arriving in his catcher’s mitt with blood-red stains on the glossy white baseballs.
There was no question who the series MVP would be, as Sugiura had been the winning pitcher on record in all four of the games. He had thrown all but five of his teams defensive innings and had a series ERA of 1.41. After the series, his manager Kazuto Tsuruoka said in a now infamous quote, “Kamisama, Butsusama, Sugiurasama”, which is translated, “God, Buddha, Mr. Sugiura.”
After a 31-win season in 1960 for Nankai in which he threw 332 innings, the pitching began to take its toll on his arm. His inning totals began to decrease and he finally retired in 1970 after 13 seasons, all with Nankai. Although stellar in his prime, he collected 2/3 of his career wins between 1958-1961 and had to be converted to a reliever late in his career. He finished his career with a 187-106 record in 577 games, with a career ERA of 2.39. Sugiura also made six all-star teams.
After his playing career, Sugiura became a commentator on Japanese radio, as well as working with other clubs both in the front office and as a manager. He managed Nankai/Daiei from 1986-1989, finishing with a record of 223-271-26 as a manager. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Sugiura died on November 2001 in a Sapporo hotel room at the age of 66. Of all of the accomplishments Sugiura achieved in his baseball life, none was more impressive than the 1959 championship season he put together for the Nankai Hawks.
