Japan’s Baseball Legend Nagashima Honored at Tokyo Dome

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:30 JST, November 21, 2025

A farewell ceremony for the late Shigeo Nagashima, who left a great legacy in baseball as a player and manager for the Yomiuri Giants, was held at Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, on Friday.

Many people, including former teammates and other sports figures as well as political and business leaders, attended the ceremony to pay their respects to Nagashima who died in June at the age of 89.

At the ceremony, three attendees with deep ties to Nagashima delivered eulogies. Nagashima and 85-year-old Sadaharu Oh — chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks — were known as the “O-N” pair and built a golden age for the Giants.

“I am certain that Mr. Nagashima, who was like a bright sun, will live on in our hearts,” Oh said.

Hideki Matsui, 51, who played mainly for the Giants and the New York Yankees, reflected on his days as an active player during which he received one-on-one batting training from Nagashima. “He showed me the right path as a baseball player, brightly illuminated that path and guided me powerfully,” Matsui said.

Actor Kinya Kitaoji, 82, expressed his sorrow over his passing, saying, “Our gratitude to Mr. Nagashima is eternal.”

Nagashima was born in Usui, now Sakura, Chiba Prefecture. He joined the Giants in 1958 after graduating from Rikkyo University and won RBI and home run titles. In 1959, he hit a dramatic walk-off home run in the first pro baseball game attended by the then Emperor and Empress.

Along with Oh, Nagashima became the driving force behind the Giants’ unprecedented nine consecutive Japan Series victories, starting in 1965. Nagashima retired as a player in 1974, leaving behind a memorable quote, “My Giants are forever immortal.” His uniform No. 3 has been retired by the team.

Nagashima became the Giants’ manager in 1975, leading the team to two Central League titles over six seasons. After returning as the team’s manager in 1993, he helped the Giants capture three league titles, and the team won the Japan Series in 1994 and 2000 under his leadership.

In 2001, he stepped down and was given the title of lifetime honorary manager.

In March 2004, Nagashima suffered a stroke. He tirelessly worked through rehabilitation and showed fans that he recovered. He was diagnosed with pneumonia in March this year, and his condition worsened in late May. He died on the morning of June 3.