Akira Nakamura (baseball)

Akira Nakamura (中村 晃, born November 5, 1989 in Asaka, Saitama) is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.

Akira Nakamura
Nakamura with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 7
Outfielder
Born: (1989-11-05) November 5, 1989
Bats: Left Throws: Left
NPB debut
2011, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
NPB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.287
Home runs46
RBI359
Hits1,038
Stolen base40
Sacrifice bunt52
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
WBSC Premier12
2015 Tokyo Team

Early Baseball career

Nakamura participated with Kenshi Sugiya and Shohei Takashima in the 2rd grade summer the 88th Japanese High School Baseball Championship, 3rd grade spring the 79th Japanese High School Baseball Invitational Tournament and 3rd grade summer the 89th Japanese High School Baseball Championship at the Teikyo High School.[1]

The match against Chiben Wakayama High School in the quarterfinals of the 88th Japanese High School Baseball Championship became a game that remains in the history of Japanese High School Baseball Championship.[2]

Professional career

On October 3, 2007, Nakamura was drafted by the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in the 2007 Nippon Professional Baseball draft.[3]

2008–2010 season

In 2008-2010 season, Nakamura played in the Western League of NPB's minor leagues.

2011–2015 season
October 29, 2014, 2014 Japan Series Game 4, Nakamura's three-run Walk-off home run

On May 3, 2011, Nakamura debuted in the Pacific League against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.[4] And he recorded his first hit in the Pacific League on May 10.[5] In 2011 season, Nakamura played 32 games in the Pacific League. And he was selected as the Japan Series roster in the 2011 Japan Series. [6]

In 2012 season, Nakamura played 39 games in the Pacific League. On November 21, he was honored for the Western League Batting Leader Award and the Western League On-base percentage Leader Award at the 2012 Professional Baseball Convention.[7]

On June 23, 2013, Nakamura recorded his first home run in the Pacific League against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.[8] In 2013 season, he finished the regular season in 109 games with a batting average of .307, a 5 home runs, and a RBI of 44.

In 2014 season, Nakamura finished the regular season in 143 games with a batting average of .308, a 4 home runs, and a RBI of 61. As a result, he won the Pacific League Hits Leader Award with 176 hits.[9] And he contributed to the team's victory by hitting a three-run Walk-off home run from Seung-hwan Oh in Game 4 of the 2014 Japan Series.[10]

In 2015 season,Nakamura changed his uniform number from 60 to 7.[11]He finished the regular season in 135 games with a batting average of .300, a one home runs, and a RBI of 39. And on October 25, he contributed to the team's victory by hitting a home run in the Japan Series for the second consecutive year in the 2015 Japan Series Game 2.[12]

2016–2020 season

In 2016 season, Nakamura played in all 143 games and recorded a batting average of .287, a 7 home runs, and a RBI of 50.

In 2017 season, Nakamura played in all 143 games and recorded a batting average of .270, a 6 home runs, and a RBI of 42. In the 2017 Pacific League Climax Series, where he played against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, he recorded a reversal two-run home run in Game 3 on October 20, and a home run in Game 4 on October 21.[13][14] In the 2017 Japan Series, which played against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, he contributed to the team's victory by recording a reversal clutch hit in Game 2 on October 29 and a two-run home run in Game 5 on November 2.[15][16]

In 2018 season, Nakamura finished the regular season in 136 games with a batting average of .292, a 14 home runs, and a RBI of 57. And he selected Mynavi All-Star Game 2018.[17] In the 2018 Japan Series, which played against Hiroshima Toyo Carp, he contributed to the team's victory by hitting a reversal RBI hit in Game 5 on November 1.[18]

On March 23, 2019, Nakamura was diagnosed with Dysautonomia and left the team for medical treatment.[19] He returned to the team on May 31,[20] but only played 44 games in the regular season. However, he contributed to the team's third consecutive Japan Series victory by recording two days consecutive RBI hits in Game 2 Game 3 of the 2019 Pacific League Climax Series in the postseason.[21]

On September 17, 2020, Nakamura recorded a total of 1,000 hits.[22] And on October 8, he recorded a total of 1,000 games appearance.[23] In 2020 season, Nakamura finished the regular season in 100 games with a batting average of .271, a 6 home runs, and a RBI of 50. In the 2020 Pacific League Climax Series, where Nakamura played against the Chiba Lotte Marines, Nakamura won the 2020 Pacific League Climax Series Most Valuable Player Award by hitting a home run for two at-bats in a row in Game 2.[24] In the 2020 Japan Series, where he played against the Yomiuri Giants, he contributed to the team's 4th consecutive Japan Series victory by recording hit a RBI hit in Game 1 and a two-run home run in Game 3.[25][26] And he won the 2020 Japan Series Outstanding Player Award.[27] December 17, Nakamura was honored for the Pacific League Golden Glove Award for the first time at the NPB AWARD 2020.[28]

International career

In 2010, Nakamura was elected to the Japan national baseball team at the 2010 Intercontinental Cup.[29]

In 2015, Nakamura was elected to the Japan national baseball team at the 2015 WBSC Premier12.[30] He contributed to the team's victory by scoring two hits in the semi-final against the Puerto Rico.[31]

References
  1. "High School Basebal.com news (Japanese) 第11回 中村 晃選手 (帝京-福岡ソフトバンクホークス)". High School Basebal.com (in Japanese). March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  2. ja:第88回全国高等学校野球選手権大会智辯和歌山対帝京
  3. ja:2007年度新人選手選択会議 (日本プロ野球)
  4. "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Geme report (Japanese) 2011/05/03(火) 第4回戦 福岡ソフトバンク vs 楽天イーグルス". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). May 3, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  5. "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Geme report (Japanese) 2011/05/010(火) 第4回戦 福岡ソフトバンク vs オリックス". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). May 10, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  6. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) コナミ日本シリーズ2011 出場資格者 福岡ソフトバンクホークス". NPB.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  7. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) "2012年度 表彰選手 (ウエスタン・リーグ)". NPB.jp (in Japanese). November 25, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  8. "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Geme report (Japanese) 2013/06/23(日) 第9回戦 福岡ソフトバンク vs 楽天イーグルス". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). June 23, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  9. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) "2014年度 表彰選手 (パシフィック・リーグ)". NPB.jp (in Japanese). November 26, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  10. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) 中村サヨナラ弾！ソフトB福岡で胴上げだ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 30, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  11. "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks Press release (Japanese) 2014/11/30(日) プレスリリース 背番号の変更について". Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site (in Japanese). November 30, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  12. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃、2年連続日本S弾「まさか」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 25, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  13. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) 【パCS】ソフトB中村晃、千金V弾に「ホッとしました」前夜バント失敗". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). October 20, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  14. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) 【パCS】ソフトB、日本シリーズに王手 連勝で3勝2敗に 中村晃が2試合連続で決勝アーチ". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). October 21, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  15. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃「健太に感謝」リプレー決勝打". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 29, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  16. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃やっと笑顔　2ランの裏に苦悩". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 3, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  17. "マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 出場者". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). August 13, 2018.
  18. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) 勝負強さ見せた！ソフトB中村晃、技あり2点打". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). November 2, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  19. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトB中村晃が自律神経失調症 復帰の見通し立たず". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). March 23, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  20. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) 1軍復帰のソフトバンク中村晃が即スタメン入り". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). May 31, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  21. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃2戦連続先制V打 マルチ安打も2戦連続". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). October 12, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  22. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃が通算1000安打 帝京高からプロ入り13年目". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). September 17, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  23. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃が1000試合出場、508人目". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). October 8, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  24. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) 選手会長中村晃MVP 川村さんユニベンチ入り提案". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 16, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  25. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク中村晃ポストシーズンでまた打った！ 周東の盗塁直後". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). November 21, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  26. "Nishinippon Sports baseball news (Japanese) 一気王手へソフトバンクまた先制！中村晃が3回2ラン、周東も初安打 巨人2死からまさか…". Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  27. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) ソフトバンク、優秀選手3人にムーア、柳田、中村晃". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 25, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  28. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) 2020年度 三井ゴールデン・グラブ賞". NPB.jp (in Japanese). December 17, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  29. "Nippon Professional Baseball (Japanese) 2010年 第17回IBAFインターコンチネンタルカップ（台中）日本代表メンバー". NPB.jp (in Japanese). October 14, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  30. "Japan national baseball team News (Japanese) 選手発表 侍ジャパントップチーム、出場選手変更のお知らせ". Japan national baseball team Official site (in Japanese). November 1, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  31. "Nikkan Sports baseball news (Japanese) 侍中村晃2安打2四球「甘い球を打てている」". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 16, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2020.


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