Monday, August 26, 2013

RIP Masayuki Dobashi

Former Toei Flyer pitcher and Masayuki Dobashi has passed away from ALS at age 77.  Dobashi pitched 12 seasons with the Flyers from 1956 to 1967.  He won 20 games in five different seasons, including a 30 win season in 1961.  He was MVP of the 1961 Nippon Series, the first of the two that the franchise has won (the other being in 2006 as the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters).

1963 Marusho JCM 13c

2006 BBM Nostalgic Baseball #054

After retiring Dobashi had three separate managerial stints in each of the next three decades.  He replaced Kenjiro Tamiya as manager of the Nittaku Home Flyers midway through Nittaku's sole season in 1973, but was replaced by Futoshi Nakanishi when Nippon Ham bought the team and renamed it the Fighters for the 1974 season.  Ironically his next managerial gig was replacing Nakanishi as Swallows manager in the middle of the 1984 season.  He would continue to manage the Swallows to last place finishes the next two seasons.  His final managerial job was back with the Fighters for a fifth place finish in 1992.

2011 Epoch All Japan Baseball Foundation Managers #23

1992 BBM #425

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