Jiro Noguchi

Jirō Noguchi
Pitcher, Outfielder, Infielder
Born: (1920-01-06)January 6, 1920
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Died: May 21, 2007(2007-05-21) (aged 87)
Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
JBL debut
1939, for the Tokyo Senators
Last NPB appearance
1953, for the Hankyu Braves
JBL/NPB career pitching statistics
Win–loss237–139
Earned run average1.96
Shutouts65
Innings pitched3,447.1
Strikeouts1,395
JBL/NPB career hitting statistics
Batting average.248
Hits830
Home runs9
Run batted in368
Teams
As player
Career highlights and awards
  • 2x JBL E.R.A. champion (1940, 1941)
  • 6x 20-game winner (1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1947)
  • 3x 30-game winner (1939, 1940, 1942)
  • 40-game winner (1942)
  • 31-game hitting streak (1946)
Member of the Japanese
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1989

Jirō Noguchi (野口二郎, Noguchi Jirō) (January 6, 1920 – May 21, 2007)[1] was a Japanese baseball pitcher and outfielder/infielder who played 13 seasons in the Japanese Baseball League and then Nippon Professional Baseball, from 1939 to 1952. A two-way player who really excelled at pitching, Noguchi was a six-time 20-game winner, a three-time 30-game winner, and once won 40 games in a season. His 1.96 career earned run average is second all-time. As a batter, Noguchi had a 31-game hitting streak, a Japanese professional baseball record which stood for 25 years. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Noguchi was one of four brothers who played professional baseball in Japan.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference HOF was invoked but never defined (see the help page).