Tallest NPB Pitcher?
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Tallest NPB Pitcher?
Has there ever been a pitcher in NPB taller than Eric Hillman?
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Re: Tallest NPB Pitcher?
[ Author: mijow | Posted: Aug 28, 2006 10:11 AM
| HT Fan
]
Shohei "Giant" Baba was probably the tallest of them all at 209 cm (as opposed to Hillman, who is 208 cm). That's 6'10".
Giant Baba played for the Giants between 1955 and 1959, but he didn't see much action. He then went on to become a successful pro wrestler.
Giant Baba played for the Giants between 1955 and 1959, but he didn't see much action. He then went on to become a successful pro wrestler.
Re: Tallest NPB Pitcher?
[ Author: Shinigami | Posted: Aug 29, 2006 5:01 PM
| FSH Fan
]
Lol. I never knew Baba played pro baseball!
I knew about him for his famous pro wrestling stories, and his famous move juroku-mon kick.
Anyone got his stats when he played for the Giants?
I knew about him for his famous pro wrestling stories, and his famous move juroku-mon kick.
Anyone got his stats when he played for the Giants?
Re: Tallest NPB Pitcher?
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Aug 29, 2006 10:16 PM
| YBS Fan
]
I've entered them here.
Of note, the official Encyclopedia has his height at 200 cm and 90 kg. Wikipedia [in Japanese] has him at 209 cm and 135 kg. I can see the weight gain after joining pro wrestling, but to grow 9 cm? Well, he was drafted out of high school (dropped out), so that may have been his height and weight at 17 years old.
This page [Niigata born Pro Yakyu players - in Japanese] states that Baba had 12 wins at ni-gun in 1956 and 13 wins in 1957 when he was called up. His only ichi-gun loss was to Sugishita Shigeru of the Dragons at Korakuen Stadium, the game being Sugishita's 200th career win.
So officially Baba was not the tallest pitcher in NPB.
Of note, the official Encyclopedia has his height at 200 cm and 90 kg. Wikipedia [in Japanese] has him at 209 cm and 135 kg. I can see the weight gain after joining pro wrestling, but to grow 9 cm? Well, he was drafted out of high school (dropped out), so that may have been his height and weight at 17 years old.
This page [Niigata born Pro Yakyu players - in Japanese] states that Baba had 12 wins at ni-gun in 1956 and 13 wins in 1957 when he was called up. His only ichi-gun loss was to Sugishita Shigeru of the Dragons at Korakuen Stadium, the game being Sugishita's 200th career win.
So officially Baba was not the tallest pitcher in NPB.
Re: Tallest NPB Pitcher?
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