Yutaka Enatsu

2.1. Birth and Family Background

Enatsu was born on May 15, 1948, in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan. His mother, originally from Kagoshima Prefecture, had evacuated to Nara after experiencing the Osaka Air Raids during World War II, where she met Enatsu's father. Enatsu was the third son, and all three children had different fathers, reflecting a complicated family environment. His father disappeared shortly after Enatsu's birth, and his mother told him that his father had died. The surname Enatsu was his mother's, a name common in Southern Kyushu, and his mother claimed their ancestors were high-ranking retainers of the Shimazu clan in the Satsuma Domain. His grandfather is also said to have founded Kirishima Shuzo, a prominent shochu brewery. When Enatsu was about six months old, he moved with his mother to her hometown in Ichiki-cho, Hioki District, Kagoshima Prefecture (now Ichikikushino City), where they lived for five years. They then moved to Amagasaki City, Hyōgo Prefecture, where Enatsu grew up, attending Amagasaki Municipal Sonoda Junior High School and graduating from high school there.

2.2. Amateur Career

In his early childhood, Enatsu enjoyed playing baseball with neighborhood children using makeshift equipment. At the age of 10, in his fifth year of elementary school, his elder brother bought him a left-handed glove and instructed him to play left-handed, effectively forcing him to switch from his natural right-handedness to left-handed pitching.

Upon entering Amagasaki Municipal Sonoda Junior High School, Enatsu joined the baseball club. However, after two months of only being allowed to retrieve balls, he confronted the upperclassmen, which escalated into a brawl, leading to his expulsion from the team. The baseball coach, a teacher, advised him to experience various sports as baseball was a culmination of different athletic skills. Enatsu then tried volleyball, rugby, and sumo, eventually settling in the track and field club, where he excelled as a shot putter, even winning a prefectural championship. Despite leaving the school team, he continued to play baseball, often joining his brother's company's amateur team.

Initially, Enatsu intended to enter the workforce after junior high, but his teachers strongly encouraged him to pursue higher education. He visited several baseball powerhouses, including Hotoku Gakuen and Naniwa, before deciding to enroll in Osaka Gakuin University High School. There, he began playing baseball seriously. The baseball team's coach, Tsuyoshi Shiogama, had no prior baseball experience but was a passionate sportsman who had competed in the National Sports Festival in rugby. Although Enatsu did not receive technical baseball instruction from Shiogama, he was drawn to the coach's enthusiastic leadership. Shiogama's intense training regimen often left Enatsu so exhausted that a ten-minute walk home from school would take an hour.

In 1966, during his third year of high school, Enatsu led his team to the semifinals of the Summer Koshien Osaka Prefectural Qualifiers, where they narrowly lost 0-1 to Sakuraoka High School, led by Toshiteru Okuda, who would later become his teammate on the Hanshin Tigers. Enatsu pitched all seven games in the qualifiers, allowing only three runs. He never gave up a fence-clearing home run, with the only home run he conceded being a running home run to Mitsuyasu Hirano of Myojo High School. His performance in the qualifiers, characterized by his powerful fastball and strategic pitching, drew the attention of professional scouts who noted his intelligence on the mound.

Enatsu often recalled his high school rivalry with Keishi Suzuki as a pivotal moment. In his second year, Osaka Gakuin University High School played a practice game against Ikuei High School, where Suzuki was the ace. The game ended in a 0-0 tie after 15 extra innings. Enatsu pitched well, recording 15 strikeouts, but Suzuki, a third-year ace, far surpassed him with 27 strikeouts. Batting cleanup, Enatsu found himself completely overwhelmed by Suzuki's fastballs and sharp-breaking curveballs, stating he "couldn't even foul one off." This experience ignited his desire to master a curveball.

3.1. Hanshin Tigers (1967-1975)

In the 1966 first-round draft, Enatsu was a highly sought-after prospect, receiving first-round nominations from four teams: the Hanshin Tigers, Yomiuri Giants, Toei Flyers (now Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters), and Hankyu Braves (now Orix Buffaloes). The Hanshin Tigers won the competitive lottery for his draft rights. Enatsu initially intended to attend Tokai University, even receiving a personal invitation from its president, Shigeyoshi Matsumae. He repeatedly declined Hanshin's scouting efforts. However, Hanshin continued negotiations, and scout Naoyuki Sagawa, alongside Toshio Kawanishi, adopted an aggressive tactic. Sagawa bluntly told Enatsu, "I don't particularly want a pitcher like you. I don't care if you join or not." This provoked Enatsu to accept, stating, "Then I'll join!" Enatsu later reflected that he "fell right into their trap," acknowledging Sagawa's strategic negotiation. He expressed regret that his decision to go pro caused three of his friends, who had planned to attend the same university with him, to alter their plans and attend Osaka Gakuin University instead.

Upon joining the Tigers, Enatsu initially wore jersey number 71. He was later offered a choice between numbers 1, 13, and 28. He rejected #1 because it was the same as his rival, Keishi Suzuki, and #13 due to a superstitious feeling of bad luck. He chose #28 by elimination. He later learned that 28 is a perfect number in mathematics, though he was unaware of this at the time. After Enatsu's success, #28 became strongly associated with left-handed pitchers in Japan.

In his rookie season of 1967, Enatsu struggled to master breaking balls during spring training, despite seeking guidance from veteran pitchers like Masatoshi Gondo. Nevertheless, he relied on his powerful fastball and recorded 225 strikeouts, leading the league, with a 2.74 ERA. However, his high number of walks and home runs conceded, combined with the team's weak offense (Hanshin's team batting average was .245 in 1967, while the Giants' was .265), resulted in a 12-13 record, preventing him from winning the Rookie of the Year award, which went to Shiro Takegami. He did, however, have an incentive contract that paid him 100.00 K JPY per win, allowing him to earn a salary equivalent to his annual income.

Enatsu developed a close bond with Hanshin manager Sadayoshi Fujimoto, who had a reputation as a "demon coach" but treated Enatsu like a beloved grandson. Fujimoto enjoyed sharing old baseball stories with Enatsu over a cigarette. Enatsu affectionately called him "Grandpa." This bond was evident when Fujimoto angrily confronted Tetsuharu Kawakami, the Giants' manager (and Fujimoto's former pupil), for overusing Enatsu in the 1967 All-Star Game, shouting, "Hey, Tetsu! You used my Yutaka roughly! You fool!" Enatsu was astonished to see the usually gentle Fujimoto revert to his "demon coach" persona. Their relationship continued after Fujimoto left Hanshin; Fujimoto was reportedly heartbroken and fell ill when Enatsu was traded to Nankai, and he tearfully congratulated Enatsu in person when Hanshin won his first championship with Hiroshima, despite his advanced age and difficulty walking.

In the 1968 spring training, Enatsu's pitching significantly improved under the guidance of new pitching coach Giichi Hayashi. Hayashi corrected Enatsu's "carrying throw" habit, a lingering effect from his shot put days, and thoroughly taught him various breaking balls. This led to improved control and an expanded pitch repertoire. From that year on, Enatsu replaced Minoru Murayama, who was suffering from a blood circulation disorder, as the Tigers' ace and became one of the league's top pitchers. Enatsu deeply respected Hayashi, calling him "master." He initially sought to apprentice under Murayama, admiring his stoic approach to baseball, and closely observed him. However, after Enatsu's strong rookie season, Murayama began to overtly distance himself. Enatsu initially resented this, believing Murayama was insecure about losing his ace status, but later realized it was Murayama's way of acknowledging him as a full-fledged pitcher and "graduating" him as a disciple, teaching him the true nature of a professional competitor.

On September 17, 1968, in a game against the Yomiuri Giants at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, Enatsu struck out Sadaharu Oh, recording his 354th strikeout of the season and breaking Kazuhisa Inao's Japanese record. Enatsu had publicly declared his intention to break the record against the Giants, specifically targeting Oh. He mistakenly thought his 353rd strikeout, also against Oh, was the record-breaker. Upon returning to the dugout, catcher Yasuhiko Tsuji corrected him. Enatsu then intentionally allowed subsequent batters to make outs, ensuring Oh would be his next opponent. He then struck out Oh again for his 354th strikeout, a remarkable display of control and determination. Enatsu later stated that it was more difficult to avoid striking out other batters like Masaaki Mori and Kazumi Takahashi than to strike out Oh. In the same game, Enatsu hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning to secure the victory for Hanshin. He finished the 1968 season with an astounding 401 strikeouts, which remains an NPB record and surpasses MLB's single-season record of 383 strikeouts set by Nolan Ryan, though it is not officially recognized as a world record by MLB. Enatsu maintained an exceptionally high strikeout rate throughout his career, with his strikeout total exceeding his innings pitched in nine seasons, four of which were as a starting pitcher for Hanshin-a rare feat for a starter. His rival, Tsuneo Horiuchi, never achieved this.

Enatsu's rivalry with Sadaharu Oh was legendary. Enatsu was particularly obsessed with striking out Oh, a practice he adopted from Murayama, who always aimed to strike out Shigeo Nagashima for milestone strikeouts. Murayama reportedly told Enatsu in his rookie year, "Your opponent is that one (Oh), and mine is this one (Nagashima)," instructing Enatsu to make the left-handed Oh his rival. This obsession led to Enatsu striking out Oh 57 times, the most by any pitcher against Oh. However, because Enatsu consistently challenged Oh with his fastball, Oh also hit 20 home runs off him, the most by any batter against Enatsu.

In the 1970 All-Star Game Game 2 on July 19 at Osaka Stadium, Enatsu, starting for the Central League, showcased his dominance by striking out eight batters, including the powerful cleanup hitters of the Pacific League (Isao Harimoto, Katsuya Nomura, and Osamu Ohsugi). This was a record for a pitcher limited to three innings in an All-Star Game. He recorded five consecutive strikeouts in the third inning, tying an NPB record, and finished with eight strikeouts and one foul pop-up. Enatsu later claimed he was aiming for all three strikeouts in the third inning and was unaware he had set a new Japanese record.

On July 17, 1971, in Game 1 of the All-Star Game at Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium, Enatsu achieved an unprecedented feat by recording 9 consecutive strikeouts. This remains a standalone All-Star Game record, as pitchers are typically limited to three innings. During the sequence, when a batter hit a pop-up, Enatsu reportedly yelled "Don't catch it!" to his catcher, Koichi Tabuchi, because he wanted to maintain his rhythm and strike out the batter. Enatsu later clarified in his autobiography that he simply felt the ball would go into the stands and didn't need to be pursued, and he wanted to keep his tempo. Footage shows Tabuchi, after the umpire's strikeout call, throwing the ball into the stands. Enatsu later stated that Sadaharu Oh retrieved the ball and handed it to him. Following Enatsu's performance, the Central League pitchers-Hideyuki Watanabe, Kazumi Takahashi, Hisanobu Mizutani, and Masakatsu Kotani-combined to pitch a no-hitter, allowing only one walk and one error while striking out 16 Pacific League batters. Enatsu also hit a home run in this game, becoming only the second pitcher in All-Star Game history to do so, a feat not repeated since. He also set an All-Star record with 15 consecutive strikeouts across the 1970 and 1971 All-Star Games.

On August 30, 1973, in a game against the Chunichi Dragons at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, Enatsu pitched the 59th no-hitter in NPB history. He engaged in a pitching duel with Chunichi's starter, Yuki Matsumoto, extending into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Enatsu hit a walk-off home run off Matsumoto's first pitch, carrying it into the right-field Lucky Zone. This dramatic finish made it the only extra-inning no-hitter in Japanese professional baseball history to be decided by a walk-off home run, a record that stands to this day. The live broadcast of the game by Asahi Broadcasting was so thrilling that the announcer, in his excitement, exclaimed, "Banzai! Enatsu Banzai!" leading to a warning for losing impartiality. However, Enatsu later clarified that the coach, Den Yamada, and manager Masaaki Kaneda, were genuinely celebrating with him at home plate.

Despite his brilliant individual achievements, Hanshin struggled to win the pennant during the Yomiuri Giants' unprecedented "V9" era (nine consecutive championships). In 1973, Hanshin was on the verge of winning the league title, needing just one more win. Enatsu started the crucial game on October 20 against Chunichi but was the losing pitcher, giving up three runs in five innings. He later claimed that Hanshin executives, Mutsuo Osada and Kazuo Suzuki, had told him before the game, "It costs money to win the championship, so don't win the remaining two games. The manager has also agreed." However, Enatsu also expressed understanding for the manager's decision to start him, stating, "It's natural to go with the pitcher with the most wins when you only need one more win. It was an unfortunate result, but I still think it was the right approach. We lost because my power was insufficient." Nonetheless, his mid-game removal in that game led to friction, with Enatsu reportedly saying, "There's no point in starting if I'm pulled out like that. They're making a fool of me. The final game? I don't care!" This tension contributed to a "strained atmosphere in the dugout" that affected the team's performance in the decisive game against the Giants on October 22, which they lost 0-9.

Conflicts with manager Masaaki Kaneda began during the 1973 season. Enatsu openly stated he could not play under Kaneda, while Kaneda also expressed a lack of confidence in managing the team with Enatsu. Although club president Kazutaka Tozawa mediated, and both remained with the team, underlying tensions persisted. Kaneda had treated Enatsu like a son, even taking him on a spiritual retreat to Eiheiji Temple in 1973, but Enatsu grew disillusioned with Kaneda's hypocrisy during the strict training.

By 1974, Enatsu's physical condition began to decline, with his right elbow numbing after throwing 100 pitches, making it difficult to pitch long innings. His win total halved from 24 wins in the previous year to 12 wins and 14 losses with 8 saves, and the team finished fourth. Kaneda resigned as manager at the end of the season. Enatsu announced his marriage during the offseason.

In 1975, Yoshio Yoshida took over as manager. Enatsu started the opening game against Chunichi on April 5, earning his first win against them in four years. On April 20, he defeated Tsuneo Horiuchi of the Giants in a pitching duel, becoming the first to reach 150 career wins among the two. Enatsu began to experiment with slow balls, attempting to transition from a pure power pitcher. However, his blood circulation disorder worsened, often causing his arm to swell, making it difficult to play catch. In the second half of the season, Yoshida began to use him more in relief.

Enatsu and Yoshida had a poor relationship even during their playing days, and communication was only possible through coach Yoshinori Tsuji. Yoshida subtly suggested Enatsu transition to a relief role, seeing his declining velocity in longer outings, but Enatsu was initially unwilling.

The conflicts culminated in Enatsu's trade. On December 24, 1975, Nikkan Sports reported that Hanshin was close to a multi-player trade with Nankai, involving Enatsu and Takenori Emoto. Enatsu confronted club president Mutsuo Osada, who denied the report. However, on January 19, 1976, Osada informed Enatsu of the trade, citing his "lack of willingness to blend into the team." Enatsu expressed his disappointment to reporters, saying, "I'm sad. What have I been working so hard for in Hanshin?" On January 23, he was officially notified of the trade to the Nankai Hawks, along with Mitsuru Mochizuki, in exchange for Takenori Emoto, Ikuo Shimano, Tsutomu Hasegawa, and Yutaka Ikeuchi. Enatsu initially asked for a few days to think but accepted on January 26, ending his nine-year tenure with Hanshin. Manager Yoshida later claimed he was unaware of the trade, but Enatsu stated that Yoshida had agreed to deny knowledge at Osada's request. Katsuya Nomura also confirmed Yoshida had approached him about trading Enatsu in the summer of 1975. Enatsu criticized Yoshida for deceiving his own mother and supporters, who had been assured he would not be traded.

3.2. Nankai Hawks (1976-1977)

After being traded from Hanshin, Enatsu felt betrayed and considered retirement. However, a Nikkan Sports reporter suggested he meet with Katsuya Nomura, the player-manager of the Nankai Hawks. During their meeting at the Plaza Hotel in Osaka, Nomura immediately confronted Enatsu, asking, "Hey, you. You intentionally threw that ball, didn't you?" Nomura was referring to a specific play in a 1975 game against Hiroshima where Enatsu, with bases loaded and one out, intentionally threw a ball to Sachio Kinugasa that induced a swing and a miss for a strikeout. Enatsu was surprised by Nomura's keen observation. Nomura continued to discuss only baseball, never mentioning the trade. Enatsu left the meeting feeling that Nomura was an "interesting person" and decided to accept the trade to Nankai.

Upon joining Nankai, Enatsu changed his jersey number from Hanshin's #28 to #17 for a fresh start. His debut in an exhibition game against the Giants on March 13 at Osaka Stadium drew a crowd of 32,000, the first sellout for an exhibition game in 12 years for the team. Enatsu pitched five innings, allowing one run with no strikeouts. He made his first regular season appearance in relief on April 4 against the Taiheiyo Club Lions and earned his first win as a starter on April 7 against Kintetsu. However, he often pitched well as a starter but received little run support. By June 15, he had already accumulated eight losses. He earned his first complete game shutout for Nankai on June 27 against Nippon-Ham. He finished his first year with Nankai with a 6-12 record and 9 saves, marking his first season with fewer than 10 wins.

In 1977, Enatsu was diagnosed with neuritis in his left elbow in January, leading to a slow start in spring training. He made his first start on April 18 against Kintetsu, pitching six innings for three runs, relying on breaking balls. He earned his first win of the season in a complete game on May 8 against Nippon-Ham. His last start of his career came on May 31 against Kintetsu, where he pitched five innings for four runs.

Before a game against Kintetsu on May 8 at Nissei Stadium, Nomura approached Enatsu during warm-ups in the outfield and asked him to become a relief pitcher. Nomura had subtly suggested this since the previous year, as Enatsu was no longer able to pitch long innings as a starter due to his blood circulation issues and heart condition (ventricular premature beats). Enatsu initially refused, saying, "What are you talking about? That's out of the question." Nomura persisted, and the "push-and-pull" continued. One day, Nomura said, "Why don't we start a revolution in baseball?" When Enatsu asked what he meant, Nomura explained that with the advancement of pitching machines, batters could practice endlessly, while pitchers' arms were consumables with limited practice capacity. He predicted that baseball would become increasingly offense-dominant, and the only way for pitchers to counter this was through a division of labor between starters and relievers, emphasizing the growing importance of closers. Drawn by Nomura's vision of a "revolution," Enatsu finally agreed to transition to a relief role.

After converting to a closer, Enatsu set a record of six consecutive saves. He finished the 1977 season with 4 wins, 2 losses, and 19 saves, earning the Pacific League's Best Relief Pitcher award. At the time, there were no established conditioning methods for relief pitchers in Japan, and the constant waiting in the dugout was hard on Enatsu, who suffered from back pain. He consulted reporters about MLB relief pitchers' routines and developed his own method: he would not enter the dugout until the fifth inning, instead receiving massages or sleeping in the locker room. This unorthodox approach initially drew criticism from within the team and the league but has since become a standard practice for relievers to maintain their conditioning. Nomura's success in revitalizing Enatsu's career led to him being dubbed the "Nomura Rebuilding Factory," a method of helping struggling players regain their form. Enatsu later stated that Nomura's word "revolution" resonated deeply with him, and he would not have accepted the transition otherwise. Enatsu praised Nomura as having the "best insight into baseball" in the league, while Nomura regarded Enatsu as the "most intelligent pitcher" he had ever encountered and the "greatest fastball pitcher in history."

3.3. Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1978-1980)

In the 1977 offseason, Katsuya Nomura was dismissed as Nankai's manager due to allegations of mixing public and private affairs. Out of loyalty to Nomura, Enatsu requested a trade from Nankai, stating, "If Nomura-san leaves, I want to leave Nankai too." On December 22 of that year, he was traded to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in a cash deal, reportedly on Nomura's recommendation to Hiroshima manager Takeshi Koba.

After moving to Hiroshima, the velocity of Enatsu's fastball, which had declined in his later years with Hanshin, began to recover. This allowed him to pitch more aggressively to batters, expanding his pitching repertoire. With renewed confidence, Enatsu regained his form, finishing the 1978 season with 5 wins, 4 losses, and 12 saves. In 1979, he recorded 9 wins, 5 losses, and 22 saves, playing a crucial role in the Carp's first league championship in four years. He earned the save in the pennant-clinching game on October 6 against Hanshin, and was carried off the field for the first time in his 13-year professional career.

Enatsu's most iconic performance came in the 1979 Japan Series Game 7 against the Kintetsu Buffaloes at Osaka Stadium. With Hiroshima leading by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning, Enatsu faced a bases-loaded, no-outs situation. He struck out Kyosuke Sasaki for the first out. With one out, he masterfully picked off the runner at third base on a squeeze play attempt by Shigeru Ishiwata, getting the second out. He then struck out Ishiwata to end the inning, preserving the lead and securing Hiroshima's first Japan Series title. This dramatic sequence of pitches became famously known as "Enatsu's 21 pitches" after it was chronicled by Junji Yamagiwa in the inaugural issue of Sports Graphic Number magazine in April 1980. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest moments in Japanese professional baseball history.

In the same year, Enatsu received his first Central League MVP award, becoming the first relief pitcher to do so. He also released a record titled "Ore no Uta" (My Poem), which sold over 70,000 copies.

On July 22, 1980, in Game 3 of the All-Star Game at Korakuen Stadium, Enatsu again delivered a memorable performance. With the Central League leading 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Pacific League rallied to load the bases with no outs, cutting the lead to one run. Enatsu entered the game in relief of Osamu Nomura (Taiyo Whales). He proceeded to strike out three consecutive batters: Leron Lee, Michiyo Arito (both of Lotte Orions), and Shinichi Yamauchi (Nankai Hawks, who was pinch-hitting for a pitcher). He was awarded the All-Star Game MVP for his clutch performance. He finished the 1980 season with 9 wins, 6 losses, and 21 saves, contributing to Hiroshima's second consecutive Japan Series title.

Enatsu formed a deep friendship with teammate Sachio Kinugasa, often spending more time with him than his own wife during his time in Hiroshima. He also provided passionate individual coaching to Yutaka Ohno, helping him refine his pitching form. Enatsu expressed his appreciation for the Hiroshima front office's dedication to their players, stating that while Hanshin was the first team he wore a uniform for, Hiroshima was where he had the "most enjoyable" time. He deeply mourned Kinugasa's death in 2018, calling him "my treasure" and expressing a desire to reunite with him in the afterlife to discuss baseball.

Despite his success, Enatsu never recorded a win against his former team, the Hanshin Tigers, preventing him from achieving a win against all 12 NPB teams in his career. His relationship with manager Takeshi Koba was also strained due to disagreements over his usage, particularly after the "Enatsu's 21 pitches" game where Koba sent other pitchers to the bullpen despite Enatsu's dominance. This friction contributed to his departure from Hiroshima, though it was less severe than his later conflict with Tatsuro Hirooka.

3.4. Nippon-Ham Fighters (1981-1983)

In the 1980 season, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters were contending for the Pacific League's second-half pennant. Manager Keiji Ohsawa, feeling the team was close to a championship, learned that Hiroshima was considering trading Enatsu. Ohsawa secretly traveled to Hiroshima and directly negotiated with owner Kohei Matsuda, securing Enatsu in a trade for Nippon-Ham's ace, Naoki Takahashi. Koba later recounted that Ohsawa called him, saying, "If you're letting Enatsu go, give him to me. I haven't won a championship yet."

Ohsawa's "boss-like" personality suited Enatsu's temperament. Ohsawa trusted Enatsu as his closer, stating, "Using Enatsu in the ninth inning is our team's winning pattern." Enatsu responded by becoming the relief ace in 1981, significantly contributing to Nippon-Ham's first Pacific League pennant in 19 years and earning the Pacific League MVP award. This made him the first player in NPB history to win MVP awards in both the Central and Pacific Leagues. He also won the Best Relief Pitcher title for five consecutive years (1979-1983), spanning both leagues, and became the first player to record saves against all 12 NPB teams.

In 1982, Enatsu achieved his 200th career win, qualifying him for induction into the Meikyukai. Nippon-Ham won the second-half pennant and faced the Seibu Lions, led by manager Tatsuro Hirooka, in the playoffs. Despite Seibu's lineup struggling against Enatsu throughout the regular season, making Nippon-Ham the favored team, Hirooka devised a strategy to exploit Enatsu's defensive weakness after pitching. Seibu's batters relentlessly executed push bunts towards Enatsu, disrupting his pitching rhythm. This tactic proved effective, and Enatsu struggled against the Seibu offense, leading to Nippon-Ham's defeat and failure to advance to the Japan Series. This experience instilled in Enatsu a deep respect for Hirooka's strategic acumen.

Enatsu noted that the Nippon-Ham team, despite having just acquired him from the Japan Series champion Hiroshima, was quite weak. He reportedly mentored several teammates, including Tatsuo Omiya, Noriaki Okabe, Shigekuni Mashiba, and Akira Sakamaki, at Ohsawa's request. Enatsu later reflected that playing with them also taught him valuable lessons.

3.5. Seibu Lions (1984)

After the 1983 season, manager Keiji Ohsawa retired from Nippon-Ham. Enatsu, who had moved to Nippon-Ham at Ohsawa's request, felt his time with the team was also over. Ohsawa reportedly told him, "If I'm leaving, you should leave too." When Yoshinobu Uemura became the new manager, he excluded Enatsu from his team plans, leading to Enatsu's release. Enatsu had expressed his preference to Ohsawa for a trade to a team that could challenge the Giants (like Hiroshima or Hanshin), explicitly stating he did not want to go to Seibu. However, on December 13, 1983, Enatsu was traded to the Saitama Seibu Lions in exchange for Yasumitsu Shibata and Hiroshi Kimura. Seibu's then-general manager, Yasuyuki Sakai, later revealed that the team acquired Enatsu to prevent the Giants from signing him. Ohsawa also believed that playing under Hirooka's strict management would ultimately benefit Enatsu.

Enatsu struggled from the start of the 1984 season and complained of poor physical condition mid-season. Manager Tatsuro Hirooka, distrusting Enatsu's inconsistent reports on his health, ordered him to the minor leagues and to be hospitalized. Enatsu, in turn, was frustrated by Hirooka's lack of communication, learning of his demotion from newspaper reports rather than directly from the manager. The team itself quickly fell out of the pennant race that year, and Hirooka began prioritizing younger players. Enatsu's last appearance was on July 12, and he was not given any further opportunities. Enatsu announced his retirement at the end of the 1984 season, just short of 200 career saves and 3,000 strikeouts. Unlike his former battery mate Koichi Tabuchi, no official retirement game was held for Enatsu by the team.

Enatsu later stated that while he found Hirooka "humanly unforgivable," he highly respected Hirooka's baseball philosophy, especially after experiencing Seibu's relentless bunt attacks in the 1982 playoffs. He described Hirooka as a "wonderful leader" from a baseball perspective, despite personal issues. Hirooka, in turn, praised Enatsu's pitching abilities and his exceptional intelligence. The direct cause of Enatsu's departure from Seibu was his conflict with Hirooka. Enatsu, following Nomura's advice, listened to pitching coach Masahiko Mori (a close friend of Nomura's), but he clashed with Hirooka. A decisive conflict occurred during a breakfast meeting at spring training in 1984, attended by management. Hirooka, who emphasized nutrition and encouraged players to eat brown rice and soy milk, suffered from gout. Enatsu, also a gout sufferer, jokingly asked Hirooka in front of others, "Manager, why do you have gout eating this stuff?" This angered Hirooka, leading to a reduction in Enatsu's playing time. This was Enatsu's first time in the minor leagues in his 18-year career.

5.1. Pitcher

In his early career with the Hanshin Tigers, Enatsu was known as a formidable power pitcher. Despite the common perception that hard-throwing pitchers lack control, Enatsu possessed exceptional command, which contributed significantly to his success and numerous strikeout records.

His transition to a relief specialist with the Nankai Hawks under manager Katsuya Nomura marked a new chapter in his career. Although blood circulation issues and a heart condition limited his ability to pitch long innings, Nomura believed Enatsu could still be effective in shorter, high-leverage situations (around 50 pitches). Enatsu initially resisted the move to the bullpen, as relief pitching held a low status in Japan at the time. However, Nomura convinced him by proposing they "start a revolution" in baseball, emphasizing the growing importance of specialized relief pitchers in an era of improving hitting and limited pitcher durability. Enatsu was swayed by the vision of revolutionizing the game.

With no established conditioning methods for relief pitchers in Japan, Enatsu, who also suffered from back pain, sought advice from reporters about how MLB relievers managed their routines. He then devised his own unorthodox approach: he would not enter the dugout until the fifth inning of a game, instead receiving massages or sleeping in the locker room. This practice, initially criticized by his team and the league, has since become a standard and accepted method for relievers to maintain their physical condition throughout the season.

Enatsu's high control and innovative approach as a reliever earned him the Best Relief Pitcher award in the Pacific League in 1977. His success in this role is often cited as the first major example of Nomura's "rebuilding factory" philosophy, which aimed to revitalize players' careers by adapting their roles. Enatsu later credited Nomura's "revolution" concept as the decisive factor in his agreement to become a reliever. He transformed from a pure power pitcher into a finesse pitcher who excelled at reading batters and strategically varying his pitch speed and motion, even intentionally throwing balls to set up strikeouts. His former manager, Masaichi Kaneda, famously remarked that Enatsu's pitching skill surpassed his own.

Tsutomu Ito, who caught Enatsu's pitches during his final years with the Seibu Lions, expressed astonishment at Enatsu's exceptional control and his ability to instantly change pitch courses with subtle finger movements at the moment of release, delivering the ball precisely where the catcher desired. Ito was also amazed by Enatsu's uncanny ability to anticipate squeeze plays without looking at the third-base runner or receiving a sign, instead relying on his keen judgment to throw a ball. Enatsu is frequently hailed as "one of the 20th century's best pitchers" and earned the moniker "championship contractor" for his pivotal role in leading Hiroshima and Nippon-Ham to league titles. In a Yahoo! Japan poll for the "20th Century Japanese Professional Baseball Best Nine," Enatsu was voted the top pitcher, surpassing other legends like Eiji Sawamura, Masaichi Kaneda, and Kazuhisa Inao. When faced with uncertainty about pitch selection, Enatsu stated his default choice was always an "outside fastball."

5.2. Battling Hitters

During his time with Hanshin, Enatsu was particularly focused on striking out Sadaharu Oh of the Giants. This obsession was inspired by his mentor, Minoru Murayama, who made it a point to strike out Shigeo Nagashima for his milestone strikeouts. Murayama reportedly instructed Enatsu to make Oh, a left-handed batter, his rival. This led to a fierce rivalry where Enatsu struck out Oh 57 times, the most by any pitcher against Oh. However, because Enatsu consistently challenged Oh with his fastball, Oh also hit 20 home runs off him, the most by any batter against Enatsu.

In a discussion with author Shoichi Nejime for his book Hiromitsu Ochiai: A Study of an Eccentric, Enatsu stated that the most challenging batters to face were those who patiently waited for a specific pitch, citing Hiromitsu Ochiai as a prime example. Enatsu once told Ochiai during a mahjong game, "Pitchers hate it most when batters wait for a specific pitch. If you keep changing your target pitch like you do, you'll never hit my pitches." However, in a 1982 game against the Lotte Orions, Enatsu noticed that Ochiai, despite striking out, had ignored all pitches except for curveballs. Enatsu later reflected that he was deeply moved by Ochiai's growth. Enatsu's curveball was so deceptive that Sadaharu Oh once remarked, "Yutaka's curve is unhittable even if you know it's coming, because it doesn't break."

Enatsu also demonstrated his hitting prowess in significant games. He hit a home run in both his no-hitter game and the All-Star Game where he recorded 9 consecutive strikeouts. His no-hitter was famously sealed by his own walk-off home run. Throughout his career, Enatsu recorded a batting average of .150, with 128 hits in 852 at-bats, including 7 home runs and 52 RBIs.

6.1. Pitching Records

During his time with the Hanshin Tigers, Enatsu established himself as a dominant force in the Central League. He led the league in wins twice (1968, 1973), earned run average once (1969), and was recognized as the Best Pitcher and awarded the Eiji Sawamura Award in 1968. He achieved 20 or more wins in four seasons and led the league in strikeouts for six consecutive years (1967-1972). In 1970, his fourth professional season, he reached 1,000 career strikeouts, surpassing Masaichi Kaneda as the fastest to reach that milestone.

His 1968 season, where he recorded 401 strikeouts, remains the Japanese professional baseball record and exceeds the MLB record of 383 set by Nolan Ryan. Enatsu also maintained an exceptionally high strikeout-to-innings pitched ratio, with his total strikeouts surpassing his total innings pitched in nine of his 18 seasons, including four as a starting pitcher-a rare achievement for a starter. On August 8, 1968, he set a Central League record with 16 strikeouts in a single game against the Chunichi Dragons. He also had a streak of 23 consecutive innings with a strikeout from August 8 to August 21, 1968. From April 12 to May 15, 1969, he pitched 41 consecutive scoreless innings. On September 26, 1970, he retired 34 consecutive batters in a game against the Chunichi Dragons.

Enatsu achieved a no-hitter on August 30, 1973, against the Chunichi Dragons, famously sealing the victory with his own walk-off home run in the 11th inning, making it the only extra-inning no-hitter in NPB history decided by a walk-off home run.

He was the first pitcher in NPB history to record both 100 career wins and 100 career saves. Only Enatsu and Shinji Sasaoka have achieved the unique combination of 100 starting wins and 100 saves. Enatsu also holds the distinction of being the first pitcher to record a save against all 12 NPB teams, a feat he accomplished before the introduction of interleague play. Conversely, he is also one of only two pitchers (the other being Toshiya Sugiuchi) to have recorded a loss against all 12 NPB teams. Notably, he never recorded a win against his former team, the Hanshin Tigers, which prevented him from achieving a win against all 12 teams.

Enatsu made 16 All-Star Game appearances (1967-1976, 1978-1983). He holds the All-Star Game record for 15 consecutive strikeouts, achieved between 1970 and 1971.

• Bold indicates league leader; Red bold indicates NPB record.

6.2. Batting Records

Enatsu's career batting statistics include a .150 batting average, with 128 hits in 852 at-bats, 7 home runs, and 52 RBIs. Notably, he hit home runs in both his no-hitter game and the All-Star Game where he recorded 9 consecutive strikeouts. His no-hitter was famously secured by his own walk-off home run.

6.3. Major Awards and Honors

Enatsu received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career:

• Eiji Sawamura Award: 1 time (1968) - youngest left-handed pitcher to win at age 20.
• Most Valuable Player (MVP): 2 times (1979 Central League, 1981 Pacific League) - the first player in NPB history to win MVP in both leagues.
• Best Nine Award: 1 time (1968).
• Most Valuable Pitcher: 1 time (1968).
• All-Star Game MVP: 3 times (1970 Game 2, 1971 Game 1, 1980 Game 3).
• Monthly MVP: 1 time (August 1979).
• Fireman Award: 2 times (1981, 1982).
• Japan Pro Sports Grand Prize Distinguished Service Award: 1 time (1968).
• Inducted into the Meikyukai (Golden Players Club) in 1982 upon achieving 200 career wins.

7.1. Media Career and Commentary

From 1985 to 1993, Enatsu worked as a baseball commentator for Nippon TV and Radio Nippon, and as a baseball columnist for Tokyo Chunichi Sports. He also ventured into acting, appearing in films, television dramas, and variety shows. He earned praise for his clear and insightful technical analysis as a commentator. Enatsu was known for addressing players with the honorific "kun" (Mr./Ms.), which he stated was a sign of respect for the profession of baseball players. He also wrote columns for Weekly Playboy titled "Yutaka Enatsu's Outlaw Baseball Theory" and for Weekly Baseball titled "Yutaka Enatsu's Baseball World Human Relationships '球人蔵_Kyūjinzo^Japanese'" until 2007.

7.2. Legal Troubles and Rehabilitation

On March 2, 1993, Enatsu was arrested for violating the Stimulants Control Act (possession and use). The arrest, which occurred just days after he had served as a temporary pitching coach for the Nippon-Ham Fighters, sent shockwaves through the public. The charges included injecting approximately 0.0 in^{3 (0.25 ml)} of stimulant solution into his left arm and possessing a total of 1.8 oz ^{(52.117 g)} of stimulants and approximately 0.0 in^{3 (0.5 ml)} of stimulant solution. The trial that year revealed that he had acquired a large quantity of stimulants (approximately 3.5 oz ^{(100 g)}) and had been using them for several years until his arrest. It was also noted that he had encouraged a cohabiting woman to use stimulants with him, for which she was also convicted. The court stated that the amount of stimulants possessed was "unusually large for personal use" and that he had initiated the cohabiting woman's drug use. He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, with the court stating that a suspended sentence was "unacceptable." Enatsu appealed the decision, but the Tokyo High Court rejected his appeal on December 24 of the same year. He did not appeal further, and his sentence was finalized, leading to his imprisonment in Shizuoka Prison. He was paroled in April 1995.

Enatsu later stated that his time in prison, with its strict routine, significantly improved his health, and he expressed gratitude to those who supported him, including Katsuya Nomura, Takenori Emoto, and Sachio Kinugasa, saying he might have died if he hadn't gone to prison. Author George Abe noted Enatsu's transformation from an arrogant individual to a remarkably considerate person, remarking that only Enatsu and George Yamamoto had emerged from prison as "proper human beings." After his release, Enatsu reportedly discarded all the awards and trophies he had accumulated during his career, signifying a fresh start.

A month after his parole, in June 1995, Enatsu appeared on Bunka Hoso radio to provide baseball commentary. From 1996 to 2010, he served as a baseball commentator for Daily Sports and TV Osaka, earning high praise for his clear and insightful technical analysis. He continued to write numerous baseball-related books. Enatsu also participated in the Professional Baseball Masters League for the Tokyo Dreams team and the Malt's Baseball Team. He served as a temporary coach for the Hanshin Tigers, with the first team in 2015 and the second team in 2016. In July 2024, Enatsu made a public appearance at a Giants-Hanshin OB game at Tokyo Dome, arriving in a wheelchair and using an oxygen tank, a sight that deeply impacted many observers.

8.1. Key Relationships and Influences

• Keishi Suzuki**: Enatsu maintained a deep friendship with Keishi Suzuki, dating back to their first high school practice game rivalry. Despite this, Enatsu also had a complex relationship with Hideo Nomo, who admired Enatsu as a mentor, even though Nomo had conflicts with Suzuki when Suzuki was his manager at the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. Enatsu, in his autobiography, acknowledged both Nomo's arguments regarding training and Suzuki's perspective, stating he couldn't fully side with Nomo on that particular issue.
• Sachio Kinugasa**: Enatsu developed an unbreakable friendship with Sachio Kinugasa, whom he struck out in the game that inspired his admiration for Katsuya Nomura. Their bond deepened during Enatsu's time with Hiroshima, where he claimed to have spent more time with Kinugasa than with his own wife. Enatsu also mentored teammate Yutaka Ohno, helping him improve his pitching form. Their friendship continued after retirement until Kinugasa's death from cancer in April 2018. Enatsu deeply mourned his friend, calling him "my treasure" and expressing a desire to reunite with him in the afterlife to discuss baseball.
• Sadayoshi Fujimoto**: As a rookie with Hanshin, Enatsu was particularly cherished by manager Sadayoshi Fujimoto, who, despite his reputation as a "demon coach," treated Enatsu with grandfatherly affection. Fujimoto's protective nature was evident when he publicly reprimanded Giants manager Tetsuharu Kawakami for overusing Enatsu in the 1967 All-Star Game. Their bond persisted even after Fujimoto's departure from Hanshin; Fujimoto was deeply affected by Enatsu's trade to Nankai and tearfully congratulated him on his first championship with Hiroshima.
• Katsuya Nomura**: Enatsu's move to Nankai and his conversion to a relief pitcher under Katsuya Nomura profoundly impacted his career and personal life. Enatsu was deeply impressed by Nomura's baseball philosophy, particularly his vision of a "revolution" in the game through specialized relief pitching. Their relationship extended beyond the field, with their families socializing frequently. Enatsu recounted instances where Nomura would even bathe Enatsu's young daughter when Enatsu returned home late from night activities. Enatsu consistently praised Nomura's baseball acumen as the best in the league, while Nomura regarded Enatsu as the "most intelligent pitcher" he had ever encountered and the "greatest fastball pitcher in history." Nomura's strict reprimand following a perceived intentional control error, emphasizing the need to prove innocence through on-field performance rather than words, further solidified Enatsu's respect for him.
• Tatsuro Hirooka**: While Enatsu greatly respected Tatsuro Hirooka's strategic mind, especially after Hirooka's successful bunt-heavy strategy against him in the 1982 playoffs, their personal relationship was fraught with conflict. Enatsu found Hirooka's rigid "management baseball" stifling. Their clashes escalated during Enatsu's final season with Seibu, culminating in a decisive argument at a breakfast meeting where Enatsu, also a gout sufferer, questioned Hirooka's own experience with the condition despite his strict dietary recommendations for players. This incident contributed to Enatsu's demotion to the minor leagues and ultimately his retirement. Despite the personal animosity, Enatsu acknowledged Hirooka as a "wonderful leader" from a baseball perspective, while Hirooka also praised Enatsu's intelligence and pitching abilities.

9.1. On-Field Legacy

Enatsu is widely regarded as one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in Japanese baseball history. His record-breaking 401 strikeouts in a single season in 1968 remains an unparalleled achievement. Beyond his individual dominance, Enatsu's most significant on-field legacy lies in his pioneering role in modern relief pitching. Under Katsuya Nomura at the Nankai Hawks, Enatsu's successful transition to a closer, and his innovative self-conditioning methods, revolutionized the role of the relief pitcher in Japanese baseball. His "championship contractor" moniker reflects his crucial contributions to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp's and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters' league titles. His dramatic performance in the 1979 Japan Series, famously known as "Enatsu's 21 pitches," solidified his status as a clutch performer and an enduring icon of the game's most thrilling moments. His ability to adapt from a power starter to a strategic, high-control reliever demonstrated his exceptional baseball intelligence and versatility, influencing future generations of pitchers.

9.2. Cultural and Societal Impact

Yutaka Enatsu's impact transcended the baseball diamond, permeating Japanese popular culture. He is a prominent figure in Yōko Ogawa's acclaimed novel The Housekeeper and the Professor (博士の愛した数式_{Hakase no Ai Shita Sūshiki}^Japanese, 2003), where his Hanshin Tigers jersey number, 28 (a perfect number), serves as a central motif and a source of fascination for the titular professor. Enatsu himself commented on the novel when it was adapted into a film.

His larger-than-life persona and dramatic career were also depicted in various media. He appeared in films such as The Last Outlaw (1985), for which he won a Newcomer of the Year award at the Japan Academy Film Prize, and The Men Who Wouldn't Die in Prison (1987). On television, he played roles in dramas like Hattori Hanzō: Kage no Gundan and Dokuganryū Masamune, and was a guest on variety shows. His image was also used in commercials for companies like Nippon Ham and Mobcast. Enatsu's career and iconic moments have been immortalized in popular manga and anime series, including Star of the Giants, Otokodoahou Koshien, Yakyukyo no Uta, Dokaben (where he appears as a commentator), and Forever Shinji-kun.

Beyond his on-field and media presence, Enatsu's personal struggles, particularly his arrest for stimulant drug use, brought him into the public spotlight in a different light. While the incident was a significant shock, his subsequent efforts towards rehabilitation and his return to public life as a respected commentator contributed to a complex public image, highlighting themes of redemption and resilience. His frank and analytical commentary style, including his respectful address of players, further cemented his unique place in Japanese sports culture.