Atsushi Aramaki

1.1. Early Life and Education

Atsushi Aramaki was born on November 16, 1926, in Horikawa, Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan, the son of a fishmonger. During his time at Oita Commercial School (now Oita Prefectural Oita Commercial High School), he participated in the National Middle School Baseball Tournament organized by the Ministry of Education in 1942, though his team was defeated 2 to 3 by Sendai Ichihoku in the first round. After graduating, he enrolled at Oita Economic Professional School (now Oita University). In the 1946 National Vocational School Baseball Tournament, Aramaki gained significant attention by defeating Yokohama Keisen with 17 strikeouts. He subsequently secured the championship by striking out an impressive 23 batters against Tottori Norin Professional School (now Tottori University), a team featuring Shun'ei Yamane, who was also known for his fast pitching.

1.2. Amateur Career

Following his college career, Aramaki joined Hoshino-gumi, a powerful industrial league baseball team based in Beppu. In 1949, he led Hoshino-gumi to victory as their ace pitcher in the Urban Sprawl tournament, earning the prestigious Hashido Award. During this period, his exceptional fastball, renowned for its speed, led to him being dubbed the "Japanese Fireball Pitcher" (和製火の玉投手_{Wasei Hinotama Tōshu}^Japanese), drawing comparisons to Bob Feller, then the fastest pitcher in Major League Baseball. His remarkable pitching prowess initiated a fierce bidding war among professional baseball teams around 1948. Teams like the Yomiuri Giants, Hanshin Tigers, Hankyu, and Daiei employed various tactics to recruit him from Hoshino-gumi. The Giants used Hinago Hotel, owned by Hoshino-gumi's president Tadashi Okamoto, as their lodging during training in Beppu, while Hankyu manager Shinji Hamazaki personally traveled to Beppu. Daiei even promised to share movie theater profits from the Kitakyushu area. Accounts from authors like Hiroshi Oi and Kenjiro Matsuki, as well as a testimony from Tadashi Wakabayashi's second son, suggest that Aramaki had initially signed a contract with Hanshin. Wakabayashi's son and Matsuki claimed that Wakabayashi himself had scouted Aramaki. In the summer of 1949, the Mainichi Shimbun company, aiming to enter professional baseball, began recruiting Hoshino-gumi players. Although Yukio Nishimoto, a player-manager at the time, was the negotiator, Aramaki's contract was handled directly by President Okamoto, who also served as Aramaki's guardian and whose second daughter Aramaki had married. Ultimately, Aramaki joined the Mainichi Orions. Matsuki attributed Aramaki's decision to join Mainichi to the fact that his mentor, Wakabayashi, had moved from Hanshin to Mainichi during the 1949 professional baseball reorganization, and that Mainichi's team was primarily formed from Hoshino-gumi players.

1.3. Professional Debut and Early Years

In 1950, with the establishment of the NPB's two-league system, Atsushi Aramaki joined the Mainichi Orions alongside Yukio Nishimoto. As a rookie, he delivered an exceptional performance, recording 26 wins and 8 losses with a stellar ERA of 2.06. He captured the most wins, best ERA, and Rookie of the Year titles, and was also selected for the Best Nine for pitchers. His outstanding contributions were pivotal in the Mainichi Orions winning the inaugural Pacific League championship and the first 1950 Japan Series. However, the heavy workload during his rookie year, where he pitched extensively, began to take a toll on the velocity of his fastball from his second year onward. In 1951, he secured 10 wins, but his performance declined further in 1952, with only 7 wins. During this period, Aramaki diligently honed the effectiveness of his curveball.

1.4. Peak Performance and Major Achievements

Atsushi Aramaki saw a resurgence in 1953, achieving 17 wins and ranking fourth in the league with an ERA of 2.14. In the same year, he made history by becoming the first Japanese professional baseball player to pitch a complete game victory against the American All-Stars during the Japan-U.S. Baseball Series. He continued his dominant performance, recording 15 or more wins for seven consecutive years until 1959. This period included two 20-win seasons: 22 wins in 1954 and 24 wins in 1956. From 1959, he also served as the team captain and began transitioning into a relief role, securing 17 wins in that capacity.

1.5. Later Career and Retirement

In 1960, a year when Mainichi won the league championship for the first time in a decade, Aramaki notably recorded no wins. In the offseason of 1961, when his former Hoshino-gumi teammate and ex-Mainichi manager Yukio Nishimoto became a coach for the Hankyu Braves, Aramaki transferred to Hankyu along with Kiyoharu Sekiguchi, another former Hoshino-gumi teammate from Nishitetsu. In 1962, Aramaki served as a player-coach but made only two appearances on the mound. He retired from professional baseball at the end of that season, concluding a 13-year career. Throughout his career, 339 of his 508 total appearances were as a relief pitcher. His 98 relief wins rank as the third-highest in NPB history, trailing only Masaichi Kaneda (132 wins) and Kazuhisa Inao (108 wins).

3.1. Coaching Career

Atsushi Aramaki served as the pitching coach for the Hankyu Braves from 1963 to 1965. He resigned from this position in 1965 due to a chest ailment. After a brief period as a baseball commentator, he returned to coaching, becoming the pitching coach for the Yakult Atoms from 1970 to 1971.

3.2. Broadcasting Career

Following his departure from the Hankyu Braves, Atsushi Aramaki transitioned into a career as a baseball commentator for Nippon TV from 1966 to 1967, particularly for their "Weekday Night Baseball" program.

5.1. Awards and Titles

During his professional baseball career, Atsushi Aramaki accumulated several significant individual awards and titles:

• Most Wins: 1 time (1950)
• Best Earned Run Average: 1 time (1950)
• Rookie of the Year (1950)
• Best Nine (Pitcher, 1950)

5.2. Career Milestones and Records

Aramaki achieved several notable milestones and records throughout his playing career:

• First Appearance & First Win:** March 15, 1950, against the Nankai Hawks in the first game at Osu Ballpark. He entered as the second relief pitcher in the top of the 4th inning with two outs and completed the game, allowing 4 runs over 5.1 innings.
• First Start, First Start Win & First Complete Game:** March 20, 1950, against the Nishitetsu Clippers in the second game at Korakuen Stadium. He pitched 9 innings, allowing 3 runs.
• First Shutout:** April 14, 1950, against the Nishitetsu Clippers in the third game at Korakuen Stadium.
• 100th Career Win:** October 8, 1955, against the Tombo Unions in the 20th game at Kawasaki Stadium.
• 150th Career Win:** August 10, 1958, against the Nankai Hawks in the 21st game at Korakuen Stadium.
• Most Career No-Walk Games Without Leading the League:** 25 games (NPB record).
• All-Star Game Appearances:** 5 times (1953-1957).

5.3. Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

Atsushi Aramaki was posthumously inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame as a player on February 27, 1985. His induction recognizes his outstanding contributions and achievements as a dominant pitcher in the early era of NPB, solidifying his place among Japan's baseball greats. His influence extended to future generations; for instance, Kazuhisa Inao, another legendary pitcher, admired Aramaki during his Hoshino-gumi days and was inspired to become a baseball player.

6.1. Schools and Teams

Atsushi Aramaki's affiliations with educational institutions and baseball teams are listed chronologically below:

• Oita Prefectural Oita Commercial High School (now Oita Prefectural Oita Commercial High School)
• Oita Economic Professional School (now Oita University)
• Hoshino-gumi (amateur)
• Mainichi Orions / Mainichi Daiei Orions (1950-1961)
• Hankyu Braves (1962)

6.2. Uniform Numbers

Atsushi Aramaki used the following uniform numbers during his professional playing and coaching careers:

• 11 (1950-1961)
• 31 (1962)
• 30 (1963-1965)
• 50 (1970)
• 61 (1971)

6.3. Career Pitching Statistics

The table below details Atsushi Aramaki's annual pitching statistics throughout his professional baseball career. The Mainichi Orions changed their team name to Mainichi Daiei Orions in 1958.