1958 Nippon Professional Baseball season

This article is about the 1958 Nippon Professional Baseball season only. For information on all of baseball, see 1958 in baseball.

The 1958 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the ninth season of operation of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

1958 NPB season
League	Nippon Professional Baseball
Sport	Baseball
Central League pennant
League champions	Yomiuri Giants
Runners-up	Osaka Tigers
Season MVP	Motoshi Fujita (YOM)
Pacific League pennant
League champions	Nishitetsu Lions
Runners-up	Nankai Hawks
Season MVP	Kazuhisa Inao (NIS)
Japan Series
Champions	Nishitetsu Lions
Runners-up	Yomiuri Giants
Finals MVP	Kazuhisa Inao (NIS)

Regular season

Standings

Central League regular season standings

Team	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Yomiuri Giants	130	77	52	1	.596	—
Osaka Tigers	130	72	58	0	.554	5.5
Chunichi Dragons	130	66	59	5	.527	9.0
Kokutetsu Swallows	130	58	68	4	.462	17.5
Hiroshima Carp	130	54	68	8	.446	19.5
Taiyo Whales	130	51	73	6	.415	23.5

Pacific League regular season standings

Team	G	W	L	T	Pct.	GB
Nishitetsu Lions	130	78	47	5	.619	—
Nankai Hawks	130	77	48	5	.612	1.0
Hankyu Braves	130	73	51	6	.585	4.5
Daimai Orions	130	62	63	5	.496	16.0
Toei Flyers	130	57	70	3	.450	22.0
Kintetsu Pearls	130	29	97	4	.238	49.5

Postseason

Japan Series

Main article: 1958 Japan Series

PL Nishitetsu Lions (4) vs. CL Yomiuri Giants (3)

Game	Date	Score	Location	Time	Attendance
1	October 11	Nishitetsu Lions – 2, Yomiuri Giants – 9	Korakuen Stadium	3:02	35,217[1]
2	October 12	Nishitetsu Lions – 3, Yomiuri Giants – 7	Korakuen Stadium	2:21	35,953[1]
3	October 14	Yomiuri Giants – 1, Nishitetsu Lions – 0	Heiwadai Stadium	2:00	31,575[1]
4	October 16	Yomiuri Giants – 4, Nishitetsu Lions – 6	Heiwadai Stadium	2:17	27,044[1]
5	October 17	Yomiuri Giants – 3, Nishitetsu Lions – 5	Heiwadai Stadium	2:34	25,193[1]
6	October 20	Nishitetsu Lions – 2, Yomiuri Giants – 0	Korakuen Stadium	2:03	31,745[1]
7	October 21	Nishitetsu Lions – 6, Yomiuri Giants – 1	Korakuen Stadium	2:23	20,961[1]

League leaders

Central League

Batting leaders Stat Player Team Total Batting average Kenjiro Tamiya Osaka Tigers .320 Home runs Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 29 Runs batted in Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 92 Runs Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 89 Hits Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 153 Stolen bases Hiroji Okajima Chunichi Dragons 47

Pitching leaders Stat Player Team Total Wins Masaichi Kaneda Kokutetsu Swallows 31 Losses Noboru Akiyama Taiyo Whales 23 Earned run average Masaichi Kaneda Kokutetsu Swallows 1.30 Strikeouts Masaichi Kaneda Kokutetsu Swallows 311 Innings pitched Motoshi Fujita Noboru Akiyama Yomiuri Giants Taiyo Whales 359

Pacific League

Batting leaders Stat Player Team Total Batting average Futoshi Nakanishi Nishitetsu Lions .314 Home runs Futoshi Nakanishi Nishitetsu Lions 23 Runs batted in Takao Katsuragi Daimai Orions 85 Runs Yoshinori Hirose Nankai Hawks 82 Hits Takao Katsuragi Daimai Orions 147 Stolen bases Chico Barbon Hankyu Braves 38

Pitching leaders Stat Player Team Total Wins Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 33 Losses Mamoru Otsu Kintetsu Pearls 22 Earned run average Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 1.42 Strikeouts Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 334 Innings pitched Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 373

Awards

• Most Valuable Player
  • Motoshi Fujita, Yomiuri Giants (CL)
  • Kazuhisa Inao, Nishitetsu Lions (PL)
• Rookie of the Year
  • Shigeo Nagashima, Yomiuri Giants (CL)
  • Tadashi Sugiura, Nankai Hawks (PL)
• Eiji Sawamura Award
  • Masaichi Kaneda, Kokutetsu Swallows (CL)

Central League Best Nine Award winners Position Player Team Pitcher Masaichi Kaneda Kokutetsu Swallows Catcher Shigeru Fujio Yomiuri Giants First baseman Tetsuharu Kawakami Yomiuri Giants Second baseman Noboru Inoue Chunichi Dragons Third baseman Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants Shortstop Yoshio Yoshida Osaka Tigers Outfielder Toru Mori Chunichi Dragons Wally Yonamine Yomiuri Giants Kenjiro Tamiya Osaka Tigers

Pacific League Best Nine Award winners Position Player Team Pitcher Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions Catcher Katsuya Nomura Nankai Hawks First baseman Stanley Hashimoto Toei Flyers Second baseman Chico Barbon Hankyu Braves Third baseman Futoshi Nakanishi Nishitetsu Lions Shortstop Takao Katsuragi Daimai Orions Outfielder Seiji Sekiguchi Nishitetsu Lions Shochi Busujima Toei Flyers Kohei Sugiyama Nankai Hawks

See also

• 1958 Major League Baseball season