Yomiuri Giants Legend, ‘Mr. Pro Baseball’ Shigeo Nagashima Dies at 89 (UPDATE 2)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:39 JST, June 3, 2025

Yomiuri Giants lifetime honorary manager Shigeo Nagashima, one of Japan’s most beloved sports figures whose achievements as a player and manager earned him the moniker of “Mr. Pro Baseball,” died on Tuesday. He was 89.

Nagashima passed away due to pneumonia at 6:39 a.m. in a Tokyo hospital.

Nagashima visited Tokyo Dome for an exhibition game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 15, and took a photo with Shohei Ohtani. The following day, he developed a fever and was diagnosed with pneumonia.

His condition worsened and his blood pressure dropped in late May, but he held on, which impressed his doctor and others. At one point his blood pressure stabilized, and he appeared to be stable. However, he passed away on Tuesday morning — the birthday of his daughter Mina, who had been caring for him.

“I will never forget my birthday of watching my father continue to hang on,” she said.

Born in Usui (now Sakura), Chiba Prefecture, Nagashima entered Rikkyo University after graduating from the former Sakura No. 1 High School. At Rikkyo, he broke the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League record for career home runs with eight.

In his first season with the Yomiuri Giants in 1958, he led the Central League in both home runs and RBIs and was named the Rookie of the Year.

His clutch performances — most notably a walk-off home run in the first pro baseball game ever attended by the then Emperor and Empress in 1959 — sparked a national frenzy.

Together with teammate and fellow legend Sadaharu Oh, the pair nicknamed “O-N” played a key role in the Giants winning an unprecedented nine consecutive Japan Series titles from 1965.

He became known for his passionate performances, dazzling baseball fans with his dynamic fielding at third base and his powerful — sometimes exaggerated — swings that often delivered clutch hits.

He ended his 17-year playing career in 1974, saying at a memorable retirement ceremony at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo: “My Giants are forever immortal.” His uniform number, 3, is now retired by the Giants.

Upon retirement, he became the Giants’ manager, leading the team to the Central League pennant twice over six seasons.

He began a second stint as manager in 1993 that lasted nine seasons. In that span, the team captured the Central League pennant three times and won the Japan Series in 1994 and 2000.

Nagashima retired in 2001 and was later afforded the title of lifetime honorary manager. In 2003, he took on the role of manager of Japan’s national baseball team, and led it in the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. However, he suffered a cerebral infarction in March 2004 and was unable to lead the team in Athens. Afterward, he worked hard on his rehabilitation and at times appeared in public to show his fans how he had progressed.

In 2013, he received the People’s Honor Award from the government with baseball great Hideki Matsui, his protege who he mentored during his time with the Giants.

Nagashima was hospitalized and received treatment for gallstones in summer 2018. In 2021, he was one of the torchbearers along with Matsui and Oh for the Tokyo Olympic Games, and became the first person from the baseball world to receive the Order of Culture.

Shohei Ohtani Mourns Passing of Baseball Legend Shigeo Nagashima; Shares Photos of Pair Together on Instagram 

Japan’s Baseball Legend Shigeo Nagashima Dies at 89