Kazuhisa Inao

Kazuhisa Inao
Kazuhisa Inao
	Inao (center) with teammate Yasumitsu Toyoda(left) and manager Osamu Mihara during the 1956 Japan Series
	Pitcher
	Born: June 10, 1937; Beppu, Ōita, Japan
	Died: November 13, 2007 (aged 70)
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
NPB debut
	March 21, 1956, for the Nishitetsu Lions
Last appearance
	1969, for the Nishitetsu Lions
NPB statistics
Win–loss	276–137
Earned run average	1.98
Shutouts	43
Innings pitched	3,599
Strikeouts	2,574
Teams
	As Player; Nishitetsu Lions (1956–1969); As Manager; Nishitetsu Lions/Taiheiyo Club Lions (1970–1974); Lotte Orions (1984–1986);
Career highlights and awards
	NPB 2x Japanese Triple Crown (1958), (1961); Pacific League Rookie of the Year (1956); 2× Pacific League MVP (1957, 1958); 3× Japan Series champion (1956, 1957, 1958); 4x Wins Champion (1957,1958,1961,1963); 2x Winning Percentage Champion (1957,1961); 5x ERA Champion(1956–1958,1961,1966); 3x Strikeout Champion (1958,1961,1963); 5x Best Nine Award (1957–1958,1961–1963); Seibu Lions #24 retired; NPB Records 42 Wins (1961) (National Record, tied); 20 consecutive wins (1957) (National Record); 78 Games Played (1961) (Pacific League Record); 1.06 ERA (1956) (Pacific League Record, National Rookie-Year Record); 404 inning Pitched (1961) (Pacific League Record); 11 wins in single month (Aug, 1956) (National Record); 4 complete game in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied); 4 wins in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied); 11 career wins in Japan Series (tied with Tsuneo Horiuchi);
Member of the Japanese
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1993

Kazuhisa Inao (稲尾和久, Inao Kazuhisa, June 10, 1937 – November 13, 2007) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. In 1957, he won 20 consecutive games. In 1958 Japan Series, he pitched six games and won 4 consecutive games after his team lost 3 games. He even hit a home run in fifth game of Japan Series. He was the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player in 1957 and 1958. He had 42 wins in 1961. Fans called his great success "God, Buddha, Inao".

In 1964, he injured his shoulder, and in 1965 came back to full-time pitching, mainly in relief. He retired as a player in 1969, and went on to manage the Nishitetsu Lions from 1970 to 1974.

He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. His number 24 was retired by the Saitama Seibu Lions on April 30, 2012.

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