Legendary Japanese professional baseball star Isao Harimoto died at a Tokyo hospital at the age of 86 on the 9th. Harimoto, a Hall of Famer renowned for amassing 3,085 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), left an indelible mark on Asian baseball through a career defined by resilience and fierce competitiveness.
Following Harimoto's passing, Lee Man-soo shared recollections of his lifelong mentor, highlighting the profound influence the Japanese slugger had on generations of players.
A Rigorous Work Ethic and Unwavering Dedication
Lee first met Harimoto in 1977 during a national team training camp in Kagoshima, Japan, when Lee was a high school senior and the youngest member of the squad. Long before that meeting, Lee modeled his training regimen on Harimoto’s legendary work ethic. As Lee recounted on social media, Harimoto famously practiced his swing until his palms bled, wrapping bicycle tires around his hands to continue hitting.
“I carried Harimoto’s book everywhere from middle school through college,” Lee wrote, noting that he adopted the same grueling training methods. During their 1977 encounter, Harimoto welcomed the young South Korean catcher into his room, gifting him high-end equipment including 10 bats, three catcher’s mitts, spikes, and 10 batting gloves—including one of Harimoto’s own used wooden bats.
Lee recalled the moment Harimoto showed him his scarred right hand, quoting the veteran as saying, “Mansoo, I made it this far with hands like these.” Lee noted that touching Harimoto’s hand left a lasting impression of the sheer willpower required to conquer professional baseball.
Historic Career Statistics and Legacy
Harimoto’s career totals in Nippon Professional Baseball remain historic. Across 23 seasons, he accumulated 3,085 hits—making him the only player to reach the 3,000-hit milestone exclusively within NPB. He posted a career batting average of .319, hit 504 home runs, drove in 1,676 runs, and claimed seven batting titles.
In recognition of his achievements, Harimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. Following his retirement from active play, he maintained close ties to Korean baseball, serving as a special advisor to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) commissioner from 1982 to 2005.
Lee emphasized that despite starring in Japan, Harimoto remained deeply supportive of South Korean baseball, celebrating victories by the national team with unmatched enthusiasm. “He was someone who wished for South Korean baseball to succeed more than anyone else,” Lee stated, bidding a final farewell to his childhood hero.