Yasumitsu Toyoda

Yasumitsu Toyoda (豊田 泰光, Toyoda Yasumitsu; February 12, 1935 – August 14, 2016) was a Japanese professional baseball player and coach, who played as a shortstop. He played and coached for the Nishitetsu Lions and the Swallows franchise of Nippon Professional Baseball. In 1972, he coached the Kintetsu Buffaloes.

Yasumitsu Toyoda
Toyoda in the August 1956 issue of The Yakyukai
Shortstop
Born: (1935-02-12)February 12, 1935 Daigo, Ibaraki, Empire of Japan
Died: August 14, 2016(2016-08-14) (aged 81) Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
NPB debut
March 21, 1953, for the Nishitetsu Lions
Last appearance
1969, for the Sankei Atoms
NPB statistics
Batting average	.277
Home runs	263
Runs batted in	888
Hits	1,699
Teams
As player Nishitetsu Lions (1953–1962) Kokutetsu/Sankei Swallows/Sankei Atoms (1963–1969) As coach Nishitetsu Lions (1962) Sankei Atoms (1968–1969) Kintetsu Buffaloes (1972)
Career highlights and awards
Pacific League Rookie of the Year (1953) 3× Japan Series champion (1956, 1957, 1958) 6× Best Nine Award (1956–57, 1959–62)
Member of the Japanese
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2006
Election method	Special election

Playing career

Toyoda was known as a good hitter, and especially renowned for his postseason performances. He led the Pacific League in batting average in 1956, spoiling a Triple Crown attempt by teammate Futoshi Nakanishi. He batted a career .362 in the Japan Series.^[1] He died in Kawasaki at the age of 81 on August 14, 2016.^[2][3]