Sachio Kinugasa is a former Japanese baseball player. He played as the third baseman for Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1965 to 1987. He holds the record for most consecutive games in professional baseball with 2,215 matches. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.
He was born on November 3, 1947, in Hiroshima, Japan. He began his professional career as a third baseman for Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1965 and played for the team until his retirement in 1987.
Sachio Kinugasa (January 18, 1947 – April 23, 2018) was a Japanese professional baseball third baseman for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League from 1965 to 1987. He was nicknamed Tetsujin, meaning "Iron Man". He played in a record-breaking 2,215 consecutive games, having surpassed Lou Gehrig's record by 1987.
He was a 13-time All-Star, won six Gold Gloves, and was named Central League MVP in 1979. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989, and a stadium named after him was also built in Hiroshima. After retiring, he worked in baseball as a coach and commentator.
Baseball Career
Sachio Kinugasa began his professional baseball career as the third baseman for Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1965. He was known for his defensive skills. He played for Carp his entire career, from 1965 to 1987.
Pension
After retiring from playing baseball, Sachio Kinugasa worked in baseball as a coach and commentator. He was the coach of Hiroshima Toyo Carp and was part of the team's coaching staff when they won the Central League title in 1991 and 1994. He also worked as a commentator in various television and radio broadcasts.
He is still highly respected in Japan and is considered one of the greatest players in Japanese baseball history.