Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani led the tributes to Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima following his death on Tuesday aged 89.<\/p>\n
Known as “Mr. Pro Baseball”, Nagashima starred for Japan’s most popular team, the Yomiuri Giants, winning nine straight Japan Series titles from 1965 to 1973.<\/p>\n
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He formed a lethal partnership with Sadaharu Oh, who holds the world record for hitting the most home runs, and the pair are credited with cementing baseball’s status as Japan’s favourite sport.<\/p>\n
Their batting exploits captivated a Japanese public enjoying new economic prosperity out of the ruins of World War II, with families tuning in to watch games on black and white televisions.<\/p>\n
Nagashima’s outsized personality and easy charisma made him a popular public figure and symbol of a confident new Japan.<\/p>\n
He hit a dramatic walk-off home run to seal a win for the Giants in the first professional game ever attended by Japan’s emperor in 1959.<\/p>\n
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“May your soul rest in peace,” Ohtani wrote on Instagram to his 9.5 million followers, along with a picture of himself with Nagashima.<\/p>\n
Oh also paid tribute, telling reporters that he was “really shocked” to learn of his former team-mate’s death.<\/p>\n
“I’m really disappointed that Mr. Nagashima, who shines brightly in the history of Japanese baseball, has departed after a long bout with illness,” the 85-year-old Oh was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.<\/p>\n
“He taught me a lot of things. I’m grateful to have been able to play with him.”<\/p>\n
Nagashima retired in 1974 after a 17-year playing career during which he won the Central League batting title six times and was home run king twice.<\/p>\n
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He played in 2,186 games and hit 444 home runs.<\/p>\n
He also had two stints as the Giants’ manager, winning two Japan Series titles over 15 seasons.<\/p>\n
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary said Nagashima was “a sunny person”.<\/p>\n
“He left so many brilliant records in the world of professional baseball for many years and gave bright dreams and hopes to society as a national star,” he said.<\/p>\n
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