Isao Harimoto throws the ceremonial first pitch before a World Baseball Classic Asia qualifier between Korea and Chinese Taipei at the Tokyo Dome in 2009.YONHAP
Legendary Korean Japanese hitter Isao Harimoto, the first player to record 3,000 career hits in Japanese professional baseball history, died at 86 on Wednesday.
Harimoto died at a hospital in Tokyo, according to Japanese media reports on Thursday.
In addition to his 3,085 career hits, which remain an NPB record, Harimoto also batted .319 with 504 home runs in 2,752 games over 23 seasons — that's third in NPB history in games played and career batting average and seventh in home runs.
Harimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
Born in Hiroshima in 1940 to Korean parents, Harimoto — whose Korean name was Jang Hun — began playing baseball in elementary school.
However, a serious injury to his right hand as a child led him to throw and bat left-handed.
Standing 181 centimeters (5 feet, 11 inches) tall, which was considered tall for a Japanese player of his era, Harimoto distinguished himself at a young age with his exceptional ability to make contact. He made his professional debut with the Toei Flyers, now the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, in 1959.
Harimoto won the Pacific League Rookie of the Year award in his debut season. He moved to the Yomiuri Giants in 1976 and formed a formidable batting duo with home run king Sadaharu Oh, known as the O-H combination.
Harimoto later played for the Lotte Orions before retiring in 1981.
Isao Harimoto celebrates after recording his 3,000th career hit while playing for the Lotte Orions against Hankyu Braves, on May 28, 1980.YONHAP
Harimoto established himself as one of NPB's greatest hitters despite the discrimination faced by ethnic Koreans living in Japan.
His achievements were also recognized in Korea. His achievements were also recognized in Korea. He received the Order of Sport Merit, Maengho Medal, one of the country’s honors for outstanding contributions to sports, in 1980. In 2007, he received the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, Korea’s highest order of merit.
After retiring as a player, Harimoto briefly worked as a baseball instructor before becoming a commentator for the Tokyo Broadcasting System in 1982. He became known for his outspoken commentary.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
