Makoto Kozuru

3.1. Early Years (1942-1947)

Kozuru made his professional debut at the age of 19 with Nagoya-gun in 1942, swiftly securing a regular starting position. His initial professional tenure was cut short when he was drafted into military service at the conclusion of the 1943 season, serving in the Imperial Japanese Navy throughout 1944 and 1945. Following the end of World War II, Kozuru returned to his original team, which had been rebranded as Chubu Nippon (中部日本軍_{Chubu Nippon-gun}^Japanese), for the 1946 and 1947 seasons.

3.2. Transfers and Batting Style Development (1948-1949)

In 1948, Kozuru departed Chubu Nippon to join the Kyuei Flyers (急映フライヤーズ_{Kyūei Furaiyāzu}^Japanese), following the resignation of team representative Akamine Masashi, whom he admired. During this period, he received pivotal coaching from Nitta Kyoichi (新田恭一_{Nitta Kyōichi}^Japanese), a former golfer who would later become a manager for the Shochiku Robins. Under Nitta's guidance, Kozuru developed his distinctive "golf swing batting style." This innovative technique emphasized a downswing motion driven by hip rotation, a revolutionary approach compared to the arm-strength reliant swings prevalent among sluggers of that era. Despite its effectiveness, the name "golf swing" sometimes led to the misunderstanding that it was an uppercut swing. In 1948, Kozuru achieved an impressive batting average of .305, narrowly missing the batting title by just one point to Noboru Aota.

In 1949, Kozuru once again followed Akamine, transferring to the Daiei Stars (大映スターズ_{Daiei Sutāzu}^Japanese). Here, he further refined his technique, learning to swing the bat with less raw force. His performance significantly improved that year, partly due to the introduction of the "rabbit ball" (飛ぶボール_{tobu bōru}^Japanese), a livelier baseball designed to boost offensive production. That season, he clinched his first Batting Champion title with an impressive .361 batting average.

3.3. Shochiku Robins and Record-Breaking Season (1950-1952)

The 1950 season marked a historic turning point in Kozuru's career and Japanese baseball. With the establishment of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the division into two leagues, Kozuru transferred to the Shochiku Robins (松竹ロビンス_{Shōchiku Robins}^Japanese) at the behest of Akamine Masashi, who had become a general manager for the newly formed Central League.

He quickly became a cornerstone of the Robins' formidable "Hydrogen Bomb Lineup" (水爆打線_{Suibaku Dasen}^Japanese), alongside powerful hitters such as Yoshiyuki Iwamoto, Torao Oka, and Jiro Kanayama. In an unprecedented 1950 season, Kozuru achieved a .355 batting average, led the Central League with 51 home runs, and set a new NPB record with 161 RBIs, a record that astonishingly remains unbroken. He also scored 143 runs and recorded 376 total bases, both of which are still NPB records. On November 2, 1950, in a game against the Taiyo Whales (大洋ホエールズ_{Taiyō Hoēruzu}^Japanese) at Nissei Stadium, he became the first player in Japanese professional baseball history to hit 50 home runs in a single season, achieved against Taiyo pitcher Renjiro Imanishi. His 51 home runs stood as a Japanese professional baseball record until Katsuya Nomura hit 52 in 1963, and as a Central League record until Sadaharu Oh surpassed it with 55 in 1964.

Kozuru also recorded 28 stolen bases in 1950, making him the only player in Japanese baseball history to achieve a 50-home run, 20-stolen base season (51 HR, 28 SB). This extraordinary feat was unique in global baseball at the time, with no player in Major League Baseball having achieved it until Shohei Ohtani eventually surpassed it in 2024. Kozuru's slugging percentage of .7287 stood as an NPB record for 23 years, eventually surpassed by Oh. His 85 extra-base hits remained a Japanese record for 52 years, until Kazuo Matsui, and still stands as the Central League record for most extra-base hits. For his exceptional performance, Kozuru was justly awarded the MVP and was instrumental in the Shochiku Robins' league championship. However, in the inaugural Japan Series against the Mainichi Orions, which the Robins lost 4 games to 2, Kozuru's performance was significantly hampered by a herniated disc he developed late in the season, limiting him to just 4 hits in 23 at-bats with no home runs. An anecdote from this period suggests that the famous quote "The ball appeared to stop" (often attributed to Tetsuharu Kawakami) was originally Kozuru's observation after his 50th home run, but a reporter from Sports Hochi changed the attribution to Kawakami due to Kozuru's lesser fame at the time.

The herniated disk continued to affect him in subsequent seasons. With the cessation of the "rabbit ball" in 1951, Kozuru's statistics saw a decline. Given the lack of effective medical treatments for his condition at the time, the pain was reportedly so intense that he sometimes lost sensation in his lower back.

3.4. Hiroshima Carp and Retirement (1953-1958)

In 1953, following the merger of the Shochiku Robins and Taiyo Whales, Kozuru transferred to the Hiroshima Carp (広島カープ_{Hiroshima Kāpu}^Japanese). He was accompanied by fellow "Akamine faction" members Jiro Kanayama and Isao Mimura. His transfer was notably driven by the ardent enthusiasm of Carp manager Ishimoto Shuichi and the citizens of Hiroshima, who had passionately raised funds through "barrel fundraising" (樽募金_{taru bokin}^Japanese, donations collected in barrels) to secure the star player. Kozuru's arrival in Hiroshima was met with immense excitement and fervor from the local community.

Despite his persistent back injury, Kozuru demonstrated remarkable dedication during his tenure with the Carp. In 1953, he achieved a career-high 33 stolen bases, and his widespread popularity led fans to vote him as the top choice for the All-Star Game. He became an indispensable cleanup hitter for the Carp, a team that often struggled offensively. He consistently ranked among the top ten in batting average for two consecutive years, finishing 9th in 1954 with a .297 average and 6th in 1955 with a .285 average.

Kozuru retired from active play in 1958 at the age of 35. His retirement was officially presented as part of a "team rejuvenation strategy." However, Kozuru expressed significant dissatisfaction to then-team representative Go Kawaguchi, arguing that he still possessed the ability and confidence to play, especially when he observed other, less skilled players remaining on the roster. He also vocalized his criticism of what he perceived as a strong "Hiroshima faction" influencing team decisions and felt that a coaching offer should have been extended if his retirement was being encouraged. Kawaguchi, in response, stated that Kozuru's personality was not suited for coaching and that the salary would be substantially lower than his playing days, suggesting that an honorable retirement would be a cleaner transition. Later, Kawaguchi disclosed that team executive Matsuda Tsuneji had informed him Kozuru's retirement was engineered to make management easier for manager Shiraishi Katsuaki.

Following his retirement, a potential opportunity for Kozuru to return to the Carp as a manager emerged. In the early 1960s, after Shiraishi's managerial period concluded and the team's performance declined, then-team president Nobuyuki Ito attempted to recruit Kozuru for the managerial role. However, a lack of unanimous support among the Carp's board members ultimately prevented the appointment, leading to Ito's resignation. His successor, Tsuneji Matsuda, chose to re-hire Shiraishi, thereby permanently closing the door on Kozuru's potential return to the Carp organization.

4.1. Coaching and Scouting

From 1959 to 1963, Kozuru served as a commentator for Radio Kanto. He subsequently returned to professional baseball as a hitting coach, first for the Kokutetsu Swallows and Sankei Swallows (国鉄・サンケイ_{Kokutetsu Sankei}^Japanese) from 1964 to 1965. During this period, he played a significant role in developing promising players such as Tadakatsu Takayama and Kunio Fukutomi. In 1968, he joined the Hanshin Tigers as their first-team hitting coach, where he notably facilitated the conversion of pitcher Hakaru Kuwano into a competent hitter. From 1969 to 1976, Kozuru served as a Tokyo-based scout for the Hanshin Tigers, famously overseeing the tryout for future star Masayuki Kakefu.

4.2. Later Life and Business Ventures

After his departure from the baseball world in 1976, Kozuru ventured into the business sector, establishing and managing a building management company in Nerima Ward, Tokyo. Even in his later years, he maintained his profound passion for batting. He regularly frequented batting centers until he was 60 years old, diligently hitting approximately 200 balls each day. This remarkable dedication earned him the enduring reputation of a "batting craftsman" (打撃の職人_{dageki no shokunin}^Japanese), constantly striving for perfection in his hitting technique.

5.1. Playing Style

Kozuru was often characterized as a "baseball insect" (野球の虫_{yakyuu no mushi}^Japanese), a testament to his intense dedication and meticulous study of the game. He notably overcame his weakness against the curveball through rigorous and persistent practice. With the rise of the home run era after World War II, Kozuru devoted himself to mastering his "golf swing batting style" to maximize distance, a commitment that ultimately led to his unprecedented home run records. Beyond his hitting prowess, Kozuru was highly regarded for his exceptional running ability, evidenced by his career total of 240 stolen bases, and his strong throwing arm in defense.

5.2. Personality

In his private life, Makoto Kozuru was consistently described as a quiet, gentle, and humorous gentleman, a character trait frequently highlighted in various anecdotes about him.

6.1. Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

In 1980, Makoto Kozuru was formally inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame as a player. This prestigious honor solidified his place among the sport's most legendary figures in Japan, acknowledging his remarkable achievements and his lasting influence on the game.

6.2. Nickname and Influence

Kozuru earned the enduring nickname "The Japanese Joe DiMaggio" (和製ディマジオ_{Wasei DiMaggio}^Japanese) due to his aesthetically pleasing batting form and his striking physical resemblance to the legendary American baseball player Joe DiMaggio. His influence on Japanese baseball, particularly through his record-setting 1950 season, was immense. By achieving 51 home runs and 161 RBIs, he not only shattered existing records but also fundamentally redefined the standards for power hitting in the league, leaving a profound and indelible mark on the sport's offensive evolution.

8.1. Titles and Awards

Makoto Kozuru's exceptional performance earned him numerous individual titles and accolades throughout his illustrious career:

• Batting Champion**: 1 time (1949)
• Home Run King**: 1 time (1950)
• RBI King**: 1 time (1950)
• Most Times on Base**: 1 time (1949)
• Most Valuable Player (MVP)**: 1 time (1950)
• Best Nine**: 2 times (Outfielder: 1949, 1950)
• Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame**: Inducted as a player in 1980

8.2. Records and Milestones

Kozuru established several significant records and achieved notable milestones in Japanese professional baseball:

• 100 Home Runs**: Achieved on September 10, 1950, against the Hiroshima Carp (pitched by Masayoshi Nakayama) - becoming the 3rd player in history to reach this milestone.
• 1000 Hits**: Achieved on July 27, 1952, against the Yomiuri Giants (pitched by Toru Nishida) - becoming the 11th player in history.
• 1000 Games Played**: Achieved on April 28, 1953 - becoming the 17th player in history.
• Single-Season Most Runs Scored**: 143 (1950) - this record still stands. (He surpassed Fumio Fujimura's previous record).
• Single-Season Most RBIs**: 161 (1950) - this record still stands.
• Single-Season Most Total Bases**: 376 (1950) - this record still stands.
• 50+ Home Run Season**: 1 time (51 HR in 1950) - the first player in history to achieve this feat.
• 40+ Home Run Season**: 1 time (51 HR in 1950) - the second player in history to achieve this.
• 10 Consecutive Games with an RBI**: Achieved from May 17 to May 31, 1950.
• All-Star Game Appearances**: 3 times (1951, 1953, 1956).
• Home Runs in 48 Different Ballparks**: A unique record, showcasing his consistent power across various venues.
• 50 Home Run and 20 Stolen Base Season**: In 1950, he recorded 51 HRs and 28 SBs. This was a unique achievement in global baseball at the time, not having been accomplished in Major League Baseball, until Shohei Ohtani eventually surpassed it in 2024.
• Single-Season Slugging Percentage**: .7287 (1950) - this mark stood as an NPB record for 23 years until it was surpassed by Sadaharu Oh.
• Single-Season Extra-Base Hits**: 85 (1950) - this record stood as an NPB record for 52 years until it was surpassed by Kazuo Matsui. It currently remains the Central League record for most extra-base hits in a single season.

8.3. Uniform Numbers and Registered Names

Makoto Kozuru used several uniform numbers and officially registered names throughout his playing and coaching career:

• Uniform Numbers**:
  • 32 (1942-1943, 1946-1947)
  • 24 (1948)
  • 3 (1949-1952)
  • 15 (1953-1958)
  • 61 (1964-1965, as coach)
  • 57 (1968, as coach)
  • Registered Names**:
    • 飯塚 誠 (Iizuka Makoto) (1942 - August 31, 1942)
    • 小鶴 誠 (Kozuru Makoto) (September 1, 1942 - 1958, 1964-1965, 1968)

8.4. Career Batting Statistics

• Bolded values indicate league leader or NPB record.
• Nagoya (Nagoya-gun) changed its name to Sangyo (Sangyo-gun) in 1944, and to Chubu Nippon (Chubu Nippon-gun) in 1946.