Noboru Aota

2.1. Early Life and Amateur Career

Noboru Aota was born on November 22, 1924, in Miki City, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. During his elementary school years, he practiced judo. Upon entering Kusunoki Higher Elementary School, where there was no judo club, he switched to baseball. A senior from his higher elementary school, Takehiko Bessho, who was attending the old system Takigawa Junior High School, introduced Aota to the baseball manager there, leading to Aota's enrollment at Takigawa Junior High. Initially, Aota served as a backup pitcher to Bessho. However, in 1940, the newly appointed coach, Hachiro Maekawa, converted Aota to an outfielder.

Aota and Bessho, then the team's ace, participated in the Spring Koshien in both 1940 and 1941. In 1941, despite being considered a championship contender, Takigawa Junior High narrowly lost to Gifu Commercial High School in an extra inning second-round game after Bessho suffered a fracture. Nonetheless, Aota earned an outstanding player award for his performance. He was renowned for his exceptionally strong arm, evidenced by a record of 267 ft ^{(81.5 m)} in a hand grenade throw during his third year at Takigawa Junior High.

By 1942, with Bessho having graduated, Akira Kobayashi became the ace, and the team's strength was such that Maekawa later lamented they "definitely could have achieved national supremacy." However, due to the escalating war, both the spring and summer Koshien tournaments were canceled that year. Consequently, in July 1942, at the age of 17, Aota joined the Tokyo Kyojin (Tokyo Giants). His initial contract included a signing bonus of 1.00 K JPY and a monthly salary of 130 JPY.

2.2. Professional Playing Career

Noboru Aota's professional playing career spanned 16 years, beginning in 1942 and concluding in 1959.

He made his professional debut with the Tokyo Kyojin of the Japanese Baseball League (JBL) in 1942. Although he went hitless in 15 at-bats during the summer season, he finished the autumn season as a rookie with a league-leading batting average of .389. In 1943, despite facing difficulties as opponents studied his play, he secured the RBI title with 42 RBIs. His .223 batting average and zero home runs that year marked an unusual record for an RBI champion, representing the lowest batting average and home run total to win the title in history.

In 1944, Aota voluntarily left the Giants to enlist in the Army Air Force. He was assigned to the Kakogawa Airfield Combat Unit and even volunteered for a kamikaze special attack unit, though his request was not accepted. He was ultimately not deployed for combat before the war ended. On August 15, 1945, upon hearing the news of the end of the war, he walked back to his brother and sister-in-law's home in Takasago City on the same day.

Aota returned to professional baseball in September 1945, joining the Hankyu Army (later Hankyu Braves) after receiving an early invitation. Although he had made a pre-war promise to return to the Giants after the war's conclusion with Yomiuri Shimbun president Matsutarō Shōriki, the Giants' reception system was not yet in place. Thus, he joined Hankyu on a loan basis from the Giants, which facilitated his smooth return to the Giants in 1948 without a signing bonus from Hankyu. In 1946, he batted third alongside Jiro Noguchi in the cleanup spot, achieving a .294 batting average, ranking 11th in the league. Around this time, he earned the nickname "Jajauma." Inspired by Hiroshi Ohshita's record of 20 home runs that year, Aota dedicated himself to reforming his batting style in 1947. Without a batting coach, he would practice hitting 200-300 balls with one hand against the back net after games. This self-taught regimen significantly boosted his home run count to 11 (third in the league), despite his batting average dropping to .233.

In 1948, he rejoined the Giants at the invitation of general manager Shigeru Mihara. Despite media speculation about his relationship with then-Hankyu manager Shinji Hamasaki, Aota consulted Hamasaki, who supported his move to the Giants, believing that playing alongside a great hitter like Tetsuharu Kawakami would aid Aota's development. His monthly salary at the Giants immediately doubled from 8.00 K JPY at Hankyu to 16.00 K JPY. During the spring training camp in Beppu in 1948, Aota, Kawakami, Shigeru Chiba, and Mihara conducted a "night batting research group" in the basement of their inn, discussing batting techniques nightly, with Aota later asserting that these sessions laid the foundation for Japanese batting. That year, Aota engaged in an intense home run race with Kawakami, hitting 25 home runs, a new professional baseball record at the time (surpassing Ohshita's 20 from 1946), sharing the home run title. He also competed closely for the batting title with Kazuto Tsuruoka and Makoto Kozuru, ultimately winning with a .306 average after a successful bunt in the final game against the Nankai Hawks. He was also selected for the Best Nine Award for the first time. His 174 hits and 284 total bases that year set new Japanese records, though these were surpassed by Fumio Fujimura the following year.

In the off-season of 1949, Aota participated in the movement to oust manager Mihara, believing rumors that Mihara intended to trade him. He later learned that Mihara had, in fact, prevented the Giants' front office from trading him. In spring 1950, Mihara invited Aota to join him if he became the manager of the Nishitetsu Clippers, which Aota readily accepted. That year, Aota performed exceptionally, ranking third in the league with a .332 batting average, hitting 33 home runs, and recording 134 RBIs (fourth in the league), leading the team in all three categories. He narrowly missed achieving a Triple Crown, falling short of 30 stolen bases with 29. His 20 multi-hit games that season set a new Japanese record (later broken by Wally Yonamine in 1952).

In the off-season of 1950, Aota attempted to transfer to Nishitetsu with Mihara. A contract signed in 1949 allowing him freedom after one year by returning half of his 1.00 M JPY two-year contract was instrumental in Nishitetsu's decision to pursue him. On January 20, 1951, Aota announced his departure from the Giants, and by January 23, he had signed with Nishitetsu's representative, Jiro Nishi, with Mihara and captain Tokuji Kawasaki present. The plan was for Aota and Mihara to first sign with the West Japan Pirates, a Central League team that was secretly pursuing a merger with Nishitetsu, thereby allowing them to join the Pacific League through the merger. However, Aota, feeling anxious due to a lack of communication from Mihara while he was on leave in Kobe, was urged by Zenpei Kojima, the Central League's Kansai branch manager, to discuss the matter with Shoji Yasuda, Vice President of the Yomiuri Shimbun, under threat of losing his player eligibility. Upon returning to Tokyo, Aota was met by Ryuji Suzuki, who would later become the Central League president, at the Yomiuri Shimbun headquarters. In the reception room, team executives, including general manager Shoji Uno, manager Shigeru Mizuhara, and key players like Kawakami, Chiba, Hideo Fujimoto, and Bessho, were gathered. A "commemorative photo" was taken, and the next day, newspapers announced Aota's return to the Giants, with his retention finalized on February 6. Aota released a statement saying he feared breaking cooperation between the two leagues and believed his return would resolve the issue peacefully, adding that Mihara had told him his contract with Nishitetsu was valid but would not constrain his will.

In the 1951 season, Aota achieved his second two-crown title, leading the league with 32 home runs and 105 RBIs, despite a .312 batting average (9th in the league). He dominated the batting triple crown categories with Kawakami, who hit .377. Aota believed he deserved the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award but lost in the reporter vote to Kawakami. Infuriated, Aota asked Central League President Ryuji Suzuki why he didn't win, to which Suzuki reportedly replied that MVP considers not just records but also character. In the US-Japan Baseball Series held that autumn, Aota led the Japanese team with a .333 batting average against the MLB All-Stars. During this series, Ferris Fain advised him to keep his bat more upright to avoid being late on major league fastballs. Previously, Aota had a laid-back stance with a large backswing, relying on the recoil for his swing. He then attempted to modify his batting style again based on this advice.

However, the batting style modification backfired, leading to a slump in 1952, where his performance significantly declined to a .260 batting average and 18 home runs. In the off-season of 1952, the Giants attempted to trade Aota to the Hiroshima Carp. Although his poor performance was the ostensible reason, it was also rumored that General Manager Uno, who frequently clashed with Aota during contract negotiations, sought an opportunity to release him, and the Giants had successfully acquired Takashi Iwamoto, a slugger from Waseda University. Ultimately, Aota rejected the trade offer and, leveraging his "B-class 10-year player" qualification (a type of free agency then available), transferred to the Yoshomatsu Robins on January 14, 1953.

Even after moving to Yoshomatsu, Aota continued to bat third. In 1953, he reverted to his original bat-lying-down stance, but his timing was off, and his performance further deteriorated to a .245 batting average and 9 home runs. However, on April 23 of that year, he achieved a cycle for hit against his former team, the Giants. He finally regained his form in 1954, hitting 31 home runs, including 13 in August (a team record for a single month that stood until Tony Blanco broke it in April 2013), and winning the home run title for the first time in three years. He also recorded a .294 batting average (11th in the league). Aota maintained good form in 1955, hitting three home runs against the Hanshin Tigers on August 23. However, he suffered a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch from Mitsuhiro Osaki in extra innings, preventing him from adding to his 17 home runs.

In 1956, he hit 25 home runs, and in 1957, he hit 22 home runs, winning the home run title for two consecutive years, and was selected as a Best Nine outfielder in both years. During this period, on May 6, 1956, at Kawasaki Stadium during a doubleheader against Hiroshima, he recorded four consecutive home runs. In 1958, he maintained good form in the first half of the season but fractured his left ankle while sliding into second base on June 29 against the Chunichi Dragons. This severe injury, requiring three months for recovery, forced him to miss the rest of the season.

In the off-season of 1958, discussions were underway for Mihara, then manager of Nishitetsu, to become the manager of Taiyo. Aota, who was not part of Mihara's vision focusing on mobility, became a free agent. However, news of Mihara's move to Taiyo was soon leaked to the media (Aota himself later claimed to have leaked it), and Mihara remained with Nishitetsu after being persuaded to stay. Aota was then contacted by his rookie-year manager, Sadami Fujita, and on December 30, 1958, Aota returned to Hankyu after a 12-year absence. However, due to lingering effects from his left ankle fracture, he was unable to perform effectively and announced his retirement on December 11, 1959.

2.3. Coaching and Managerial Career

After his retirement as a player, Aota briefly worked for an acquaintance's company in 1960 before becoming a critic for the Sports Hochi newspaper in 1961.

On November 15, 1961, Hanshin Tigers manager Sadami Fujita requested Aota to join his team as a coach, to which Aota agreed, becoming the Hanshin batting coach (effectively head coach) with an 8.00 M JPY signing bonus. He was entrusted with all offensive signs and served as Fujita's right-hand man, contributing to the team's league championship in 1962. During this period, Hanshin was in a pennant race with Taiyo, managed by Aota's respected mentor Mihara. A notable anecdote recounts Aota giving his players "Mihara Monaka" (a Japanese sweet) before a game, urging them, "Go on, eat Mihara!" to inspire them. However, they lost the 1962 Japan Series to the Toei Flyers, led by Shigeru Mizuhara, 4 games to 2 with 1 tie. Initially on a one-year contract, Aota declined an offer to become the next manager but extended his coaching contract for another year at the urging of Fujita and Hanshin, departing from the team at the end of 1963. Yoshio Yoshida, who was coached by Aota at the time, later commented, "Mr. Aota was a master teacher."

After leaving Hanshin, Aota worked as a baseball commentator for Mainichi Broadcasting (1964). On November 25, he was recruited by manager Yukio Nishimoto to become the head coach of the Hankyu Braves. When Aota asked Nishimoto why he was chosen, Nishimoto replied, "You are the only coach who can shout 'You bastard!' at players from the very first day on the job." Nishimoto felt he had no time to lose in fulfilling his promise of a championship to owner Yonezo Kobayashi. In 1967, Aota helped the team win its first league championship, coaching hitters such as Tokuji Nagaike, Fujio Yamaguchi, and Kiyoshi Morimoto. His most significant contribution was developing Nagaike, who was not a slugger in college, into a league-leading home run hitter by subjecting him to intense training, hitting fastballs on the inside corner using a batting machine. Nagaike later stated, "I was made into a home run hitter by Mr. Aota." Nagaike, having absorbed Aota's theories, later applied the same rigorous training to Koji Akiyama as the batting coach for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Despite pleas from Hankyu, Aota again left the team on November 30. He famously stated, "The worst thing a coach can do is stay with a team for too long. They start to consider only how to keep their job and cater to the manager."

After leaving Hankyu, Aota served as a baseball commentator for Nippon Television (1968-1971) before becoming the head coach for the Taiyo Whales on October 19, 1971. In 1972, he took over as acting manager from August 31 after manager Kaoru Betto went on leave mid-season. However, his record was a disappointing 1 win, 14 losses, and 2 ties. Aota also fell ill with gallstones and went on leave, with Tsuyoshi Miyazaki taking over as acting manager. At the end of the season, owner Kenkichi Chubu asked Aota to manage the team temporarily, intending to promote Noboru Akiyama to manager in the future. Aota accepted, requesting no signing bonus but 20% of the Japan Series club revenue if they won the league championship, and was promoted to manager on November 14, 1972. In 1973, the team started strong, with 16 wins and 6 losses by May 25, even topping the standings in late May. However, they rapidly lost momentum from late May and finished in 5th place, leading Aota to offer his resignation on October 24.

During his tenure as manager, Aota was known to call on his batting practice pitcher and interpreter, Hiko Koga, to place bets for him at the nearby Kawasaki Keirin Velodrome when home games at Kawasaki Stadium coincided with horse racing days. He would often bet as much as 50.00 K JPY, an amount equivalent to an average salaryman's initial monthly wage at the time. When his predictions were accurate, he was generous with Koga's tips. While demanding of his players' performance, Aota did not complain about individual players' performances after games. He mostly left signs to his coaches and was sometimes seen predicting keirin races with a red pencil during games. He later recalled that some players and coaches within the team were "anti-Aota" and deliberately ignored his signs. On June 4, 1973, a dinner party was held at the Tamagawa dormitory in Nakahara Ward, Kawasaki City, where Aota and the coaching staff served the players. The menu included 800 skewers of yakitori, 200 young chickens, 15 lb ^{(7 kg)} of beef, and 40 L of draft beer (totaling 240.00 K JPY). Players like Shinichi Eto and Makoto Matsubara enjoyed the outdoor beer garden, invigorating themselves. Terry Ito described him in his book as a "too passionate manager, a 'baseball kid' who burned out all at once."

After leaving Taiyo, Aota served as a baseball commentator for Nippon Television (1974), NET Television (1975-?), and Radio Kanto. On October 21, 1979, after the season ended, he returned to the Giants as head coach after a 26-year absence. At the time, the Giants' veteran players, who had supported the team, were clearly declining, and manager Shigeo Nagashima deemed it urgent to develop the next generation of players. At the "Hell's Ito Camp" held at Ito Stadium in Shizuoka Prefecture, Aota rigorously trained young players such as Suguru Egawa, Masaru Nishimoto, Yoshitaka Katori, Mitsuo Sumi (later Masao), Kazunori Shinozuka (later Kazunori), and Masafumi Matsumoto. Nagashima and Aota likened this Ito Camp to the pre-war Giants' camp in Morinji, Tatebayashi City, Gunma Prefecture, which they only knew through hearsay. The Ito Camp later became a legend, and its participants became key players for the Giants in the 1980s.

2.4. Post-retirement Activities

Following his resignation from the Yomiuri Giants coaching staff in 1980, Noboru Aota continued his career as a baseball commentator and critic for various media outlets, including Nippon Television, Radio Japan, Sports Hochi, and TV Tokyo. He also dedicated significant effort to baseball instruction in countries such as Russia.

As a commentator, he was known for his strong bias towards the Giants, even being satirized in the movie "Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!!" under the name 'Aohata Noboru,' where his lines consisted solely of repeating "Giants! Giants! Giants!" It was even whispered that he received a 1.00 K JPY "rebate" for every three "Giants" he uttered. His critical approach was exceptionally strict, earning him the moniker "Opinion Leader of the Baseball World." He once stated, regarding Suguru Egawa's pitching, "The 147 km/h on the TV speed gun is an exaggeration. That's 145 km/h. My eyes are more accurate," a comment that was later referenced by Hiroshi Hashiya, a professor at Shimane University. Despite his harsh commentary, he was affectionately called "Oyassan" (old man) and admired even by non-Giants fans, such as comedians Duncan and Mitsuru Yaku. Duncan reportedly cried throughout Aota's memorial feature on "Gekisei! Sports TODAY," and Yaku published a tribute in his weekly baseball manga. Aota was known for candidly and sincerely answering even elementary questions from baseball reporters and fans, rather than showing displeasure or evading.

He was also one of the few Japanese individuals who, since the claim arose that Sadaharu Oh's 868 official career home runs were not a world record (based on Josh Gibson's Negro League and other combined home run records), maintained his own tally for Oh. This tally included 29 home runs in the Japan Series, 13 in All-Star Games, 23 in US-Japan Baseball Series, 98 in spring/autumn exhibition games, and 1 in East-West games, totaling 1032 home runs, in addition to home runs hit in games after his retirement.

Aota's wife was a lifelong Catholic and all their children were Christians. During his illness in October 1997, Aota received Catholic baptism, formally becoming a believer. His baptismal name was Joseph. Noboru Aota passed away on November 4, 1997, due to lung cancer. His funeral was held with a Christian ceremony at St. Ignatius Church.

5.1. Playing Titles

• Batting Champion: 1 time (1948)
• Home Run Champion: 5 times (1948, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957)
• RBI Leader: 2 times (1943, 1951)
• Most Hits: 1 time (1948) - This was not an official league award at the time but was recognized as such from 1994 onwards.

5.2. Awards and Recognition

• Best Nine Award: 5 times (Outfielder category: 1948, 1950, 1951, 1956, 1957)
• Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame: Inducted as an expert selection in 2009.
• Best Father Yellow Ribbon Award: 1987

5.3. Notable Records

Noboru Aota holds several significant milestones in Japanese baseball history:

• First Appearance/Start: July 16, 1942, against Taiyo-gun in Game 9 (at Korakuen Stadium), starting as the 7th batter and left fielder, going 0-for-2.
• Milestone Records:
  • 100 Home Runs: November 3, 1950, against Shochiku Robins in Game 20 (Korakuen Stadium), off Nobuo Oshima. He was the 6th player in history to achieve this.
  • 1,000 Hits: September 27, 1951, against Shochiku Robins in Game 19 (Korakuen Stadium), off Tsuneo Kobayashi. He was the 8th player in history to achieve this.
  • 150 Home Runs: September 6, 1952, against Hiroshima Carp in Game 16 (Tokaichi Town Ballpark), off Yoshio Otagaki. He was the 2nd player in history to achieve this.
  • 1,000 Games Played: April 25, 1953, against Nagoya Dragons in Game 3 (Osaka Stadium). He was the 16th player in history to achieve this.
  • 200 Home Runs: July 16, 1955, against Hiroshima Carp in Game 16 (Miyoshi City Ballpark), off Noboru Matsuyama. He was the 2nd player in history to achieve this.
  • 250 Home Runs: August 25, 1957, against Chunichi Dragons in Game 23 (Kawasaki Stadium), off Tsutomu Ina. He was the first player in history to achieve this.
• Other Records:
  • Walk-off Grand Slams: 2 times, a record tied for the most in history.
    • June 7, 1947: Against Yomiuri Giants (Korakuen Stadium), in the 9th inning off Fukuzo Tada. It was the 2nd walk-off grand slam in NPB history and the first since the end of World War II.
    • April 27, 1954: Against Yomiuri Giants (Nishikyogoku), in the 9th inning off Masayuki Kasahara. It was the 6th walk-off grand slam in NPB history, the first in the Central League, and the first time a player achieved multiple walk-off grand slams.
  • Cycle for Hit: April 23, 1953, against Yomiuri Giants in Game 3 (Korakuen Stadium). He was the 9th player in history to achieve this.
  • Season Putouts (Outfielder): 391 in 1948, the 2nd highest all-time.
  • Consecutive Games Played: 510 games (August 24, 1946 - July 30, 1950), which was the longest streak at the time.
  • Consecutive Home Runs in 4 At-bats: May 6, 1956, a record tied for 2nd all-time.
  • Consecutive Home Runs in 4 Plate Appearances: Same as above, a record tied for 2nd all-time.
  • All-Star Game Appearances: 6 times (1951-1953, 1955-1957).

5.4. Uniform Numbers

Noboru Aota wore several uniform numbers throughout his career as a player and coach:

• 32 (1942-1943, Tokyo Kyojin)
• 12 (1946-1947, Hankyu Braves)
• 23 (1948-1958, Yomiuri Giants, Taiyo-Shochiku Robins / Taiyo Whales)
• 1 (1959, Hankyu Braves)
• 63 (1962-1963, Hanshin Tigers)
• 40 (1965-1967, Hankyu Braves)
• 50 (1972-1973, Taiyo Whales)
• 75 (1980, Yomiuri Giants)

8.1. Impact and Contributions

Aota played a pivotal role in shaping Japanese baseball, particularly as a player. He was one of the first true power hitters in Japanese professional baseball, achieving five home run titles despite his relatively small physique. His ability to hit for power set a new standard for slugging in the era. As a coach, he was recognized as a "championship contractor" due to his instrumental role in leading both the Hanshin Tigers (1962) and Hankyu Braves (1967) to league championships. His coaching philosophy, particularly his rigorous training methods, was crucial in developing future star players like Tokuji Nagaike, who later trained Koji Akiyama using Aota's techniques. Aota's unconventional approach and directness, as exemplified by his "longest-staying coach is bad" philosophy, emphasized focus on player development over career longevity within a single team.

Beyond the field, Aota's transition to a baseball commentator and critic significantly impacted public discourse on the sport. He became a prominent "opinion leader" in the baseball world, known for his frank and often strict commentary. While his strong bias towards the Yomiuri Giants was evident, his willingness to offer unvarnished opinions, such as his precise evaluations of pitcher's speed, earned him a reputation for honesty and integrity, even among non-Giants fans. He was respected for his directness and willingness to engage with reporters and fans honestly, never shying away from questions. His personal accounting of Sadaharu Oh's home runs, including those from non-official games, demonstrated his deep passion and meticulous dedication to the sport's history and statistics.

8.2. Criticisms and Controversies

Noboru Aota's career was not without its share of criticisms and controversies, most notably the 1980 media reports that implicated him in alleged connections to baseball gambling. This incident, brought to light by "Sunday Mainichi," severely impacted his reputation and led to his forced resignation from the Yomiuri Giants coaching staff. Despite Aota's denials of direct involvement in gambling, his admission of paying high interest on a loan and his acknowledged associations with organized crime figures created a damaging public image. His confrontational and defiant responses to journalists during interviews, where he used derogatory terms and made controversial statements about other prominent players' potential associations, further fueled the scandal. This incident, occurring just a decade after the "Black Mist Incident," stirred fears of renewed corruption within Japanese baseball, leading to intense scrutiny and pressure from the Central League president for the Giants to take stronger disciplinary action. The controversy underscored the ethical challenges faced by public figures in sports and the severe implications of perceived ties to illicit activities.

8.3. Public Image

Noboru Aota's public image was largely defined by his nickname, "Jajauma," or "Wild Horse." This moniker, derived from both his powerful and uninhibited playing style and his famously outspoken and unrestrained personality, encapsulated his charismatic yet sometimes controversial persona. Despite his often blunt and critical remarks, Aota was widely loved and admired. His endearing charm and approachable nature, even in his later role as a "baseball opinion leader," endeared him to a broad audience, including those who were not fans of the Giants. He was known for his honesty and integrity when interacting with reporters and fans, always providing sincere answers without pretense. This blend of fierce independence, strong opinions, and underlying charm contributed to his lasting impact and unique position in Japanese baseball history.

9.1. Books

• Aota Noboru no Sora Yukaba Senjin Monogatari (青田昇の空ゆかば戦陣物語, "Noboru Aota's War Stories of the Sky"): Published by Kojinsha, ISBN 476980234X C0095. This book chronicles his experiences during his time as a special officer candidate in the Army and his service in the Army Air Force.
• Jajauma Ichidai Ikou Aota Noboru Jiden (ジャジャ馬一代 遺稿・青田昇自伝, "Wild Horse Generation: Posthumous Manuscript, Noboru Aota's Autobiography"): Published by The Masada in January 1998, ISBN 978-4915977541. This is his final, posthumously published work.
• Samurai-tachi no Puro Yakyuu Sawamura Eiji kara ON made Aota Noboru Kōyūroku (サムライ達のプロ野球 沢村栄治からONまで 青田昇交友録, "Samurai Baseball Players: From Eiji Sawamura to ON, Noboru Aota's Friendship Chronicle"): Published by Pal Publishing in January 1994, ISBN 978-4893863645. This book introduces 23 "samurai" baseball players from pre-war to post-war eras, detailing Aota's relationships with them. It was later released as a bunkobon (pocket-sized edition) by Bungeishunju in July 1996.

9.2. Media Appearances

Noboru Aota appeared on numerous television and radio programs throughout his career as a commentator, personality, or guest.

• Mr. Baseball Aota Noboru (MBS Radio): A morning program where he appeared as a commentator in 1976.
• MBS Baseball Park (MBS Radio): The current title of the professional baseball night game broadcast where he served as a commentator.
• Tsugi no Shunkan, Atsukunare. THE BASEBALL (Nippon Television): The current title of the professional baseball broadcasts where he appeared as a commentator.
• Zoom In!! Asa! (Nippon Television): Appeared in the "Pro Baseball Irekomi Joho" (Pro Baseball In-the-Know Info) corner as an opinion leader, alternating with Tsubasa Hirata.
• Pro Baseball BOX Seat (Nippon Television): Served as a commentator.
• Radio Japan Giants Niighter (RF Radio Nippon): Served as a commentator.
• Aota Noboru to Takayama Ei no Jajauma Chokkyuu Shoubu (RF Radio Nippon): Co-hosted with Ei Takayama.
• Aota Noboru to Takayama Ei no Sports Island (RF Radio Nippon): Co-hosted with Ei Takayama.
• Golden Niighter (NET Television → TV Asahi): Served as a commentator. He also appeared on MBS Television when it was affiliated with the NET (TV Asahi) network in 1964.
• Gekisei! Sports TODAY (TV Tokyo)
• M10 (TV Asahi): Appeared in October 1992.
• Kayō Suspense Gekijō (Tuesday Suspense Theater) "Kyokou no Kūro" (虚構の空路, "Fictional Air Route") (NTV-affiliated / Daiei Eizo): Played the role of a travel agency president in December 1987.
• Aji Ichimonme (味いちもんめ) (TV Asahi): Appeared in 1995.

Noboru Aota's voice was also famously portrayed by Ichirō Nagai in the animated portion of the film How to Enjoy Professional Baseball 10 Times More. He was also the only professional baseball player to appear by his real name in the game Pro Yakyuu Team wo Tsukurou! (Let's Make a Pro Baseball Team!) released on Sega Saturn on February 19, 1998, three months after his passing.