1. Overview
Hideo Fujimoto, born Lee Pal-ryong in Busan, Korea on May 18, 1918, was a seminal figure in Japanese professional baseball. As a right-handed pitcher, he established numerous indelible records during his career from 1942 to 1955, spanning both the one-league and two-league eras of Japanese baseball. His remarkable achievements include the lowest career ERA (1.90) and the best all-time winning percentage (0.697), both Japanese professional baseball records for pitchers with over 2000 innings pitched. In 1943, he achieved a pitching Triple Crown, recording an astonishing 0.73 seasonal ERA and 19 shutouts, both of which remain NPB records. He is also celebrated for pitching the first perfect game in NPB history in 1950. Beyond his playing prowess, Fujimoto was the youngest player-manager in Japanese baseball history at age 25 in 1944. After retirement, he transitioned to coaching and managerial roles, notably promoting baseball in his ancestral Korea. Fujimoto was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, cementing his profound impact on the sport.
2. Early Life and Background
Hideo Fujimoto was born as 이팔룡Lee Pal-ryongKorean on May 18, 1918, in Busan, Korea, which was then under Japanese colonial rule. He moved to Japan at the age of eight, settling in Hikoshima, Shimonoseki, in Yamaguchi Prefecture. During his middle school years, he was known as Hachiryu Fujimoto (藤本 八龍Japanese). Around 1943, he formally changed his registered Japanese name to Hideo Nakagami (中上 英雄Japanese) after marrying into the Nakagami family, though he continued to use "Hideo Fujimoto" as his registered player name throughout his professional career.
Fujimoto began playing baseball in the fourth grade while in Hikoshima. He attended Shimonoseki Shogyo High School (then an old-system commercial school), where he participated in the Koshien Tournament in the spring of 1935 and 1937. During his high school years, he commuted daily by ferry from Hikoshima, and it was noted that the future actress Michiyo Kogure, who was on the same ferry, was a fan of Fujimoto.
In 1938, Fujimoto enrolled in Meiji University, following a recommendation from Masami Sakohata, a Meiji University alumnus who had coached him. Despite an offer from the Nagoya Kinshachi-gun professional team, Fujimoto chose to pursue higher education. At Meiji, his fastball was so powerful that catchers would wear full protective gear even during pitching practice. In 1940, after the departure of ace pitcher Hideo Shimizu, Fujimoto became the team's ace, leading Meiji to a championship with a 4-0 record and a 0.62 ERA in the autumn league. In the spring of 1942, he achieved nine wins against one loss (including three shutouts and one no-hitter) and also excelled at batting with a .310 average, once again contributing to a championship. Due to the Pacific War, universities implemented early graduation policies, and Fujimoto graduated in September 1942. Throughout his time at Meiji University, he amassed a career record of 34 wins and 9 losses, a victory total that remains the highest for a Meiji University pitcher and is tied for 10th all-time in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League.
3. Professional Playing Career
Hideo Fujimoto's professional playing career spanned from 1942 to 1955, during which he established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in Japanese baseball history. His career was marked by extraordinary records, resilience through injuries and wartime challenges, and pivotal contributions to the success of the Yomiuri Giants.
3.1. Early Career and Pre-War Era (1942-1944)
After graduating from Meiji University, Fujimoto received recruitment offers from several professional teams, including the Asahi-gun, Nankai-gun, and Hankyu, but ultimately joined the Tokyo Kyojin (later the Yomiuri Giants) mid-season on September 25, 1942, influenced by his Shimonoseki Shogyo High School senior, Kikuji Hirayama. His professional debut on September 27 against Taiyo was highly publicized by the Yomiuri Shimbun, drawing a then-record attendance of 16,942 fans for a Giants home game. Although he struggled initially due to a lack of recent practice, allowing three runs and requiring relief from Victor Starffin, Fujimoto quickly found his form. Within ten days, he secured his second win with a shutout against the Asahi-gun on October 6, and continued his winning streak until the end of the season, achieving an impressive 10 consecutive wins from his debut, a record for rookies during the one-league era.
In 1943, with the departure of key pitchers like Victor Starffin (due to illness) and Shuichi Hirose (due to military conscription), Fujimoto became the undisputed ace of the Kyojin. He delivered one of the greatest pitching seasons in Japanese baseball history, achieving the pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (34), ERA (0.73), and strikeouts (253). His 34 wins included 32 starts, tying Victor Starffin's record for most starting wins before the franchise system was implemented in 1952. He also recorded 19 shutouts, which remains an NPB record, and a 0.756 winning percentage, leading to an unprecedented five-crown achievement (wins, ERA, strikeouts, winning percentage, and shutouts). His 0.73 ERA for the season is still the lowest single-season ERA in NPB history. On May 22, he threw his first no-hitter against the Nagoya-gun at Korakuen Stadium. Between July 16 and August 17, he won 11 consecutive games, including 8 shutouts, and allowed only two earned runs over 100 innings. He also set an NPB record with six consecutive shutout victories from August 2 to September 12, accumulating 62 consecutive scoreless innings from August 1 to September 15. Despite his overwhelming performance, the Most Valuable Player award that year went to Shosei Go, the only player to bat over .300.
The 1944 season saw Fujimoto take on multiple roles, serving as the team's ace pitcher, batting third, and uniquely, becoming the youngest player-manager in Japanese professional baseball history at just 25 years old. This record remains unbroken. During the war, with personnel shortages, players were designated "industrial soldiers," working mornings at factories like Toshiba's Fuchu plant before practicing baseball in the afternoons, often on borrowed grounds like Meiji University's. In the spring series of 1944, Fujimoto led his team to a tie for first place with the Hanshin Tigers, achieving 11 wins against 3 losses with a 0.786 winning percentage. As a player, he contributed five wins (against two losses) and a .320 batting average. However, in the summer series, with Victor Starffin unable to play due to his nationality, Fujimoto's workload increased, and his performance declined to five wins and six losses. The Giants consequently lost the championship to Hanshin, ending their streak of six consecutive titles.
3.2. Post-War Era and Peak Performance (1946-1953)
Fujimoto continued as a player-manager into the 1946 season but reverted to a player-only role mid-season (June 10) when Haruyasu Nakajima returned as player-manager. In 1946, he won 21 games and led the league in ERA with a 2.11 mark. However, a contract dispute arose when Fujimoto was asked to return a signing bonus he had received, an action that led to a loss of trust in the team management. This ultimately led to his departure from the Giants.
In 1947, Fujimoto transferred to the Chunichi Dragons (then known as the Chubunihon Dragons). He had a strong season, recording 17 wins with a 1.83 ERA (second in the league) and 27 complete games, contributing significantly to the Dragons' second-place finish. Unfortunately, he sustained a shoulder injury in the latter half of the season, which impacted his performance.
In 1948, Fujimoto returned to the Giants at the request of general manager Osamu Mihara. Initially, he played primarily as an outfielder due to his recovering shoulder. However, a subsequent leg injury forced him to return to pitching. During his time playing outfield, his shoulder had recovered enough to resume throwing. While practicing for his return to pitching, his teammate Mitsuo Uno noticed an unusual cut on Fujimoto's ball. This observation, combined with insights from Bob Feller's "How to Pitch" (or possibly Hal Newhouser's "How to Pitching"), led Fujimoto to master the slider. Although his fastball velocity had diminished due to his shoulder injury, his newly acquired slider proved to be a highly effective weapon, allowing him to revive his career.
The 1949 season marked a significant comeback for Fujimoto. Despite the introduction of the "rabbit ball," which generally worsened pitching statistics across the league, he was the only pitcher to maintain an ERA below 2.00, finishing with a 1.94 ERA. He secured his third career ERA title and won 24 games (all starts), finishing second in the league. For his outstanding performance, he was awarded the Eiji Sawamura Award and named to the Best Nine.
On June 28, 1950, at Aomori City Stadium, Fujimoto achieved a monumental feat: he pitched the first perfect game in NPB history against the Nishi-Nippon Pirates. This was an unexpected start for him, as the originally scheduled pitcher, Fukuzo Tada, fell ill with food poisoning. Remarkably, Fujimoto himself had spent the previous night playing mahjong on the Seikan Renraku-sen ferry from Hakodate to Aomori, getting little to no sleep. Despite the historic nature of the accomplishment, no photographers were present at the game to capture the moment, as most reporters had returned to Tokyo after the previous day's game in Hakodate. The future playwright Shuji Terayama was reportedly a spectator at this game, and the future lyricist Rei Nakanishi served as a batboy. Fujimoto continued his strong performance in 1950, winning 26 games (third in the league) with a 2.44 ERA (second in the league).
From 1949 to 1953, Fujimoto was a cornerstone of the Giants' pitching staff during their "second golden age," consistently winning at least 15 games each year, alongside Takehiko Bessho and Takumi Otomo. In the 1951 Japan Series against the Nankai Hawks, despite having fewer wins than teammates like Kiyoshi Matsuda and Takehiko Bessho, Fujimoto was chosen to start Game 1. He pitched a 10-hit shutout in Game 1 and a complete game win in Game 5, leading the Giants to the championship. He also contributed wins in the 1952 Japan Series (where he also hit a home run) and the 1953 Japan Series, as the Giants secured three consecutive championships against the Hawks.
3.3. Later Career and Retirement (1954-1955)
Fujimoto's career began to wind down in 1954, when he recorded only one win due to a finger injury. By 1955, his velocity had significantly decreased, and he was sidelined from the start of the season. His only appearance that year was on October 11, in a game against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Wakayama Prefectural Mukainoshiba Baseball Stadium. He entered the game in the fifth inning as a reliever and, leveraging the strong headwinds, pitched effectively, allowing only one hit and no runs. This appearance secured his 200th career win. He retired at the end of the 1955 season, making him one of the few pitchers in NPB history to reach 200 wins without accumulating 100 losses.
4. Player Characteristics and Style
Hideo Fujimoto was renowned for several distinct characteristics and a unique playing style that set him apart during his career.
As a pitcher, Fujimoto possessed exceptional stamina. He was known to throw at least 100 pitches during his pre-game warm-up. He often performed better in the later innings of a game than in the beginning, and remarkably, he tended to pitch better on consecutive days than on the first day of a series of appearances.
His signature pitch was a highly effective slider, which he developed after a shoulder injury. According to fellow Giants player Noboru Aota, Fujimoto's slider was unique: "After he threw it, it would look like a fastball until it reached the batter's hands, then it would sharply break." Aota claimed that only two other pitchers in professional baseball, Kazuhisa Inao and Tomohito Ito, were able to throw a slider with similar movement.
Despite primarily being a pitcher, Fujimoto was also an accomplished hitter. In 1944, he posted a .268 batting average, ranking ninth in the league. In 1950, he hit seven home runs, which stood as the single-season record for a pitcher in the Central League until Shohei Ohtani surpassed it in 2014. In Japan Series play, he maintained an impressive .316 batting average (6 hits in 19 at-bats). In November 1946, as part of a promotional event for the film "Deadlock Bases Loaded," Fujimoto, despite being a pitcher, won a 10.00 K JPY prize for hitting a home run in a special contest, further showcasing his all-around athletic ability.
5. Coaching and Post-Playing Career
Following his illustrious playing career, Hideo Fujimoto remained deeply involved in baseball through various coaching, managerial, and media roles, extending his influence both within Japan and in his ancestral Korea.
5.1. Coaching and Managerial Roles
In 1956, Fujimoto took on the role of manager for the Giants' minor league team. He was known for his strict adherence to rules, which reportedly caused difficulties for his players. The following year, in 1957, he became the first-team pitching coach. However, he was dismissed along with coach Goro Taniguchi after the Giants' loss to the Nishitetsu Lions in the 1957 Japan Series, a decision influenced by a power struggle between team president Kazue Shinagawa and manager Shigeru Mizuhara.
After leaving the Giants, Fujimoto was appointed manager of the industrial league team Daiwa Securities, a position he held from 1958 to 1961. He was invited to this role by his former Meiji University senior, Tokuro Konishi, who was also involved with Daiwa Securities. Under Fujimoto's leadership, Daiwa Securities participated in the Intercity Baseball Tournament in 1961. During his tenure, he coached players such as Takahiko Beppu, who would later manage Meiji University's baseball team, and scouted players like Youmei Aoki, whom he recommended to his former team, the Giants.
5.2. Contributions to Korean Baseball
In 1968, Fujimoto made a significant visit to his ancestral homeland, Korea. During this visit, he organized and led youth baseball clinics in major cities including Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Daegu. He also actively contributed to the establishment of the Korean Baseball Association, playing a vital role in promoting and popularizing baseball in Korea.
5.3. Media and Correspondent Work
Fujimoto also had a successful career in baseball media. He served as a baseball commentator for Nippon Television's ○曜ナイターŌyō NaitāJapanese (weekday night games) and as a critic for Sports Hochi.
In 1973, Fujimoto moved to Los Angeles, California, with his wife, where he became a resident correspondent for the Yomiuri Shimbun. In this capacity, he effectively acted as a scout for the Yomiuri Giants, traveling across the United States, meticulously keeping scorebooks, and evaluating American baseball talent. During his summers in Los Angeles, his children and grandchildren would often visit and enjoy time with him. While in the U.S., he also studied English and worked as a commentator for Fuji Television's "America Major League Live Broadcast" from 1978 to 1979. He famously contributed analysis for Sports Hochi during the 1979 World Series, reporting from the field on the weather conditions (including snow) and commenting on the differences in defensive play between Major League Baseball and Japanese baseball, noting the greater range of American infielders despite occasional errors.
6. Personal Life and Anecdotes
Beyond his professional baseball career, Hideo Fujimoto had a rich personal life and was known for several personal traits and anecdotes.
Fujimoto developed a passion for golf after being introduced to it by an acquaintance during his time as a minor league manager. He approached golf with the same dedication he applied to baseball, rapidly improving his skills to achieve a handicap of around 5. His enthusiasm for the sport also influenced his two sons, who both left their university baseball teams to join golf clubs. The family became members of the Chiba Country Club, and Fujimoto enjoyed playing rounds with his daughter, who took up golf after her children grew up. In his later years, he had the pleasure of playing golf with his grandson, creating three-generational rounds.
Fujimoto also enjoyed playing mahjong. However, he was described as a poor gambler, often attempting to challenge opponents who had built strong hands with only minor ones of his own. A famous anecdote recounts that after his perfect game in 1950, he received a 50.00 K JPY bonus from the team, but he lost the entire amount in mahjong debts to teammates Tetsuharu Kawakami, Noboru Aota, and Takehiko Bessho. Although his teammates initially tried to exclude him from future games out of pity, Fujimoto would carry a single mahjong tile in his uniform pocket when heading to the ballpark. Since mahjong tiles were hard to replace at the time, a missing tile would prevent a game, forcing his teammates to include him.
7. Legacy and Honors
Hideo Fujimoto left an enduring legacy as one of the most dominant and influential pitchers in Japanese baseball history, setting numerous records that continue to stand. He was recognized for his immense contributions with induction into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
His significant records and honors include:
- Lowest career ERA:** 1.90, an NPB record for pitchers with at least 2000 innings pitched.
- Best all-time winning percentage:** 0.697, an NPB record for pitchers with at least 2000 innings pitched.
- Lowest single-season ERA:** 0.73 (1943), an NPB record.
- Most shutouts in a season:** 19 (1943), tied for the NPB record with Jiro Noguchi.
- Most wins in a season:** 34 (1943), tied for the NPB record for most starting wins during the one-league era.
- Most consecutive wins by a rookie:** 10 (1942), a record for the one-league era.
- First perfect game:** June 28, 1950, against the Nishi-Nippon Pirates at Aomori City Stadium, marking the first in NPB history. This game also qualified as a Maddux, a complete game shutout thrown with fewer than 100 pitches.
- No-hitters:** 2 total (May 22, 1943, against Nagoya; and June 28, 1950, the perfect game), making him the 11th pitcher in NPB history to achieve multiple no-hitters.
- 200 career wins:** Achieved on October 11, 1955, making him the sixth pitcher in NPB history to reach this milestone. He is also unique as the only pitcher with 200 or more career wins who did not record 100 losses.
- Consecutive shutout victories:** 6 (August 2 to September 12, 1943), an NPB record.
- Consecutive scoreless innings:** 62 (August 1 to September 15, 1943), a record for the one-league era.
- Fewest pitches in a complete game:** 75 (October 27, 1946, against Hankyu-gun), in a game where he also recorded a shutout and ended Jiro Noguchi's 31-game hitting streak.
- Two consecutive-day shutout victories:** Achieved twice (August 16-17, 1943, and September 18-19, 1943), an NPB record.
- Most home runs by a pitcher in a season:** 7 (1950), a Central League record until Shohei Ohtani surpassed it in 2014.
- All-Star Game appearances:** 2 (1951, 1953).
- Awards and Accolades:**
- Eiji Sawamura Award**: 1 (1949)
- Best Nine**: 1 (1949)
- Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame**: Inducted in 1976.
His jersey numbers during his playing career were:
- No. 35 (1942-1943)
- No. 23 (1946)
- No. 3 (1947)
- No. 17 (1948-1956)
- No. 31 (1957)
(Note: All six teams in the 1944 season abolished jersey numbers.)
8. Death
Hideo Fujimoto passed away on April 26, 1997, at 1:22 AM, at the Tokyo Police Hospital in Chiyoda, Tokyo, due to a myocardial infarction. He was 78 years old.
9. Career Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | CG | SHO | BB/9 | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Tokyo Kyojin | 14 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 0 | -- | -- | 1.000 | 433 | 111.0 | 64 | 2 | 36 | -- | 0 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 0.81 | 0.90 |
| 1943 | Tokyo Kyojin | 56 | 46 | 39 | 19 | 3 | 34 | 11 | -- | -- | 0.756 | 1664 | 432.2 | 212 | 3 | 168 | -- | 1 | 253 | 9 | 0 | 57 | 35 | 0.73 | 0.88 |
| 1944 | Tokyo Kyojin | 21 | 19 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 8 | -- | -- | 0.556 | 693 | 169.2 | 132 | 3 | 62 | -- | 1 | 113 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 30 | 1.59 | 1.14 |
| 1946 | Tokyo Kyojin | 31 | 25 | 21 | 9 | 1 | 21 | 6 | -- | -- | 0.778 | 870 | 217.1 | 171 | 6 | 81 | -- | 0 | 83 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 51 | 2.11 | 1.16 |
| 1947 | Chubunihon | 35 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 15 | -- | -- | 0.531 | 1062 | 275.0 | 220 | 7 | 52 | -- | 5 | 77 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 56 | 1.83 | 0.99 |
| 1948 | Yomiuri Giants | 22 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | -- | -- | 0.615 | 517 | 131.0 | 104 | 3 | 24 | -- | 3 | 51 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 25 | 1.72 | 0.98 |
| 1949 | Yomiuri Giants | 39 | 31 | 29 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 7 | -- | -- | 0.774 | 1137 | 288.0 | 238 | 14 | 55 | -- | 6 | 137 | 1 | 0 | 72 | 62 | 1.94 | 1.02 |
| 1950 | Yomiuri Giants | 49 | 34 | 33 | 6 | 8 | 26 | 14 | -- | -- | 0.650 | 1442 | 360.1 | 307 | 25 | 70 | -- | 2 | 156 | 1 | 0 | 117 | 98 | 2.44 | 1.05 |
| 1951 | Yomiuri Giants | 31 | 25 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 7 | -- | -- | 0.682 | 822 | 206.1 | 189 | 7 | 41 | -- | 3 | 88 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 72 | 3.13 | 1.11 |
| 1952 | Yomiuri Giants | 34 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 6 | -- | -- | 0.727 | 830 | 213.2 | 169 | 11 | 38 | -- | 2 | 89 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 56 | 2.36 | 0.97 |
| 1953 | Yomiuri Giants | 29 | 25 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 6 | -- | -- | 0.739 | 777 | 198.2 | 166 | 9 | 30 | -- | 1 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 46 | 2.08 | 0.99 |
| 1954 | Yomiuri Giants | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | 0.333 | 83 | 19.2 | 21 | 3 | 4 | -- | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 13 | 5.85 | 1.27 |
| 1955 | Yomiuri Giants | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -- | -- | 1.000 | 16 | 5.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.20 | |
| Career (13 years) | 367 | 290 | 227 | 63 | 35 | 200 | 87 | -- | -- | 0.697 | 10346 | 2628.1 | 1994 | 93 | 661 | 0 | 25 | 1177 | 18 | 2 | 710 | 554 | 1.90 | 1.01 | |
- Bold indicates league leader, bold also indicates NPB record (career totals for 2000+ IP).
| Year | Team | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | TB | RBI | SB | CS | HBP | SH | SF | BB | IBB | SO | DP | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Tokyo Kyojin | 14 | 47 | 41 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 6 | -- | 0 | 3 | -- | 0.220 | 0.319 | 0.293 | 0.612 |
| 1943 | Tokyo Kyojin | 63 | 200 | 183 | 11 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 3 | -- | 14 | -- | 0 | 10 | -- | 0.186 | 0.244 | 0.213 | 0.457 |
| 1944 | Tokyo Kyojin | 34 | 143 | 123 | 19 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 1 | -- | 19 | -- | 0 | 9 | -- | 0.268 | 0.366 | 0.374 | 0.740 |
| 1946 | Tokyo Kyojin | 52 | 140 | 126 | 15 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -- | 14 | -- | 0 | 12 | -- | 0.230 | 0.307 | 0.333 | 0.640 |
| 1947 | Chubunihon | 61 | 141 | 127 | 14 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | 13 | -- | 0 | 11 | -- | 0.252 | 0.321 | 0.299 | 0.621 |
| 1948 | Yomiuri Giants | 57 | 138 | 129 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | -- | 8 | -- | 1 | 8 | -- | 0.217 | 0.268 | 0.248 | 0.516 |
| 1949 | Yomiuri Giants | 52 | 139 | 116 | 20 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 50 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -- | 16 | -- | 0 | 12 | -- | 0.284 | 0.371 | 0.431 | 0.802 |
| 1950 | Yomiuri Giants | 88 | 194 | 172 | 19 | 49 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 76 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -- | 22 | -- | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0.285 | 0.366 | 0.442 | 0.808 |
| 1951 | Yomiuri Giants | 55 | 104 | 88 | 9 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -- | 13 | -- | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0.284 | 0.382 | 0.341 | 0.723 |
| 1952 | Yomiuri Giants | 38 | 98 | 86 | 6 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -- | 9 | -- | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0.209 | 0.284 | 0.267 | 0.552 |
| 1953 | Yomiuri Giants | 29 | 83 | 74 | 9 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -- | 3 | -- | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0.284 | 0.312 | 0.378 | 0.690 |
| 1954 | Yomiuri Giants | 5 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.125 | 0.125 | 0.125 | 0.250 |
| 1955 | Yomiuri Giants | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Career (13 years) | 549 | 1437 | 1275 | 133 | 312 | 42 | 9 | 15 | 417 | 151 | 29 | 12 | 23 | 0 | 137 | 0 | 2 | 103 | 22 | 0.245 | 0.319 | 0.327 | 0.646 | |
| Year | Team | Rank | G | W | L | T | W-L% | GB | Team HR | Team AVG | Team ERA | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Tokyo Kyojin | 2nd | 35 | 19 | 14 | 2 | 0.576 | 8 | 5 | 0.236 | 1.92 | 26 |
| 1946 | Tokyo Kyojin | 2nd | 105 | 64 | 39 | 2 | 0.621 | 1 | 24 | 0.257 | 2.59 | 28 |
- Note: In 1946, Fujimoto was replaced by Haruyasu Nakajima as manager on June 10.
- Managerial career totals: 60 games, 34 wins, 3 ties, 23 losses (0.596 winning percentage)