For a little older baseball fans of Japan, Shigeru Kobayashi is a really unforgettable pitcher. Shigeru Kobayashi first played in Tokyo Giants, and through a dramatic and tragic trade, he transferred to Hansin Osaka Tigers.
The trade is a kind of social case in the history of sports business. Shigeru Kobayashi was really a good pitcher and every year he won more than 10 to 20 games through the baseball season. That was a role of NO.1 pitcher of Tokyo Giants then. He was handsome and fans were a lot.
In 1997, after the baseball season was over, the draft for new players were held. A super pitcher, Suguru Egawa, was at the draft. Hansin Osaka Tigers got the right to negotiate with Suguru Egawa at the draft conference. Before and after this draft conference, Suguru Egawa and Tokyo Giants probably had meetings for his joining in the team.
Of course, the meeting and oral promise was illegal then, but Tokyo Giants was the top team of Japan ( like NY Yankees) so many players often wanted to join in the team for fame and for money. Maybe Suguru Egawa also really wanted to join in Tokyo Giants.
In spite that Osaka tigers got the first negotiation right, the next day (or on the same day ?), Egawa and Tigers made contract without any negotiation, and then Egawa went to Tokyo Giants by the trade between Tokyo Giants and Osaka Tigers.
This was apparently an irregular trade, and all of the process of Suguru Egawa’s contract with Tokyo Giants were irregular and rude action against gentle draft system.
Tokyo Giants really wanted Egawa because of his potentiality and Egawa also wanted the best team for his life time.
Suguru Egawa went to Tokyo Giants, and at the time, the player who was traded from Giants to Osaka tigers was SHIGERU KOBAYASHI.
Shigeru Kobayashi was suddenly ordered to go to the different team, Tigers, and he needed to accept it to continue playing. On the same day, he soon held a press conference. His attitude on the conference through TV was a really gentle. He talked calmly and he never said negative comment.
Many felt sympathy to Shigeru Kobayashi and many expected his better future. After that, Shigeru Kobayashi kept the best pitcher’s fame with over 20 winning games a year, and especially he won many times to Tokyo Giants when he pitched.
It was obvious that Shigeru Kobayashi was much valuable player for a team compared to Suguru Egawa. Egawa grew bigger after that, but at the time, Kobayashi was a far better pitcher. Shigeru Kobayashi proved his ability by his results.
Shigeru Koabayashi died of heart attach yesterday at 57 years old. I miss him very much, and I suppose many of the older baseball fans still loves him as a gentle player of all time.
