Shigeo Nagashima Exhibition Opens in Tokyo, Giving Fans a Look at Photos, Memorabilia Related to ‘Mr. Pro Baseball’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, March 20, 2026

An exhibition honoring Shigeo Nagashima, the lifetime honorary manager of the Yomiuri Giants who passed away last June age 89, opened on Wednesday at a department store in Tokyo.

“Shigeo Nagashima memorial exhibition: Mr. Giants — the immortal No. 3,” is organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others, and is being held at Takashimaya Co.’s Nihonbashi store until March 30, before then touring the country.

The memorial exhibition features photographs documenting the many glorious moments of Nagashima, as well as memorabilia such as the bat he used to hit a home run during the 1959 game watched by Emperor Showa. He captivated the nation both as a player and manager for the Giants.

“I hope people will realize that professional baseball [in Japan] as we know it today exists because of a superstar like Mr. Nagashima,” said former Giants manager Tatsunori Hara, 67, before the exhibition opened.

“[The exhibition] brings back memories of Mr. Nagashima delighting his fans,” said a man, 77, from Kanagawa Ward, Yokohama.