1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season

Sports season
1961 NPB season
LeagueNippon Professional Baseball
SportBaseball
Central League Pennant
League championsYomiuri Giants
  Runners-upChunichi Dragons
Season MVPShigeo Nagashima (YOM)
Pacific League Pennant
League championsNankai Hawks
  Runners-upToei Flyers
Season MVPKatsuya Nomura (NAN)
Japan Series
ChampionsYomiuri Giants
  Runners-upNankai Hawks
Finals MVPAndy Miyamoto (YOM)
NPB seasons

The 1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the twelfth season of operation of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

Regular season

Standings

Central League regular season standings
Team G W L T Pct. GB
Yomiuri Giants 130 71 53 6 .569
Chunichi Dragons 130 72 56 2 .562 1.0
Kokutetsu Swallows 130 67 60 3 .527 5.5
Hanshin Tigers 130 60 67 3 .473 12.5
Hiroshima Carp 130 58 67 5 .465 13.5
Taiyo Whales 130 50 75 5 .404 21.5
Pacific League regular season standings
Team G W L T Pct. GB
Nankai Hawks 140 85 49 6 .629
Toei Flyers 140 83 52 5 .611 2.5
Nishitetsu Lions 140 81 56 3 .589 5.5
Daimai Orions 140 72 66 2 .521 15.0
Hankyu Braves 140 53 84 3 .389 33.5
Kintetsu Buffaloes 140 36 103 1 .261 51.5

Postseason

Japan Series

CL Yomiuri Giants (4) vs. PL Nankai Hawks (2)

Game Date Score Location Time Attendance 
1 October 22 Yomiuri Giants – 0, Nankai Hawks – 6 Osaka Stadium 2:19 30,720[1] 
2 October 24 Yomiuri Giants – 6, Nankai Hawks – 4 Osaka Stadium 2:41 26,845[1] 
3 October 26 Nankai Hawks – 4, Yomiuri Giants – 5 Korakuen Stadium 2:23 30,878[1] 
4 October 29 Nankai Hawks – 3, Yomiuri Giants – 4 Korakuen Stadium 2:18 33,186[1] 
5 October 30 Nankai Hawks – 6, Yomiuri Giants – 3 Korakuen Stadium 2:28 30,135[1] 
6 November 1 Yomiuri Giants – 3, Nankai Hawks – 2 Osaka Stadium 2:45 21,565[1]

League leaders

Central League

Batting leaders
Stat Player Team Total
Batting average Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants .353
Home runs Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 28
Runs batted in Takeshi Kuwata Taiyo Whales 94
Runs Toshio Naka Chunichi Dragons 88
Hits Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 158
Stolen bases Kazuhiko Kondo Taiyo Whales 35
Pitching leaders
Stat Player Team Total
Wins Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 35
Losses Masaaki Koyama Hanshin Tigers 22
Earned run average Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 1.70
Strikeouts Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 310
Innings pitched Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 42913

Pacific League

Batting leaders
Stat Player Team Total
Batting average Isao Harimoto Toei Flyers .336
Home runs Katsuya Nomura
Yoshihiro Nakata
Nankai Hawks
Hankyu Braves
29
Runs batted in Kazuhiro Yamauchi Daimai Orions 112
Runs Akio Saionji Toei Flyers 97
Hits Kihachi Enomoto Daimai Orions 180
Stolen bases Yoshinori Hirose Nankai Hawks 42
Pitching leaders
Stat Player Team Total
Wins Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 42
Losses Toshiaki Tokuhisa Kintetsu Buffaloes 24
Earned run average Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 1.69
Strikeouts Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 353
Innings pitched Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 404

Awards

Central League Best Nine Award winners
Position Player Team
Pitcher Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons
Catcher Masahiko Mori Yomiuri Giants
First baseman Katsumi Fujimoto Hanshin Tigers
Second baseman Masataka Tsuchiya Kokutetsu Swallows
Third baseman Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants
Shortstop Akiteru Kono Chunichi Dragons
Outfielder Kazuhiko Kondo Taiyo Whales
Shinichi Eto Chunichi Dragons
Katsuji Morinaga Hiroshima Carp
Pacific League Best Nine Award winners
Position Player Team
Pitcher Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions
Catcher Katsuya Nomura Nankai Hawks
First baseman Kihachi Enomoto Daimai Orions
Second baseman Nobuyasu Morishita Nankai Hawks
Third baseman Futoshi Nakanishi Nishitetsu Lions
Shortstop Yasumitsu Toyoda Nishitetsu Lions
Outfielder Kazuhiro Yamauchi Daimai Orions
Kenjiro Tamiya Daimai Orions
Isao Harimoto Toei Flyers

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 1961年度日本シリーズ 試合結果 (in Japanese). Nippon Professional Baseball. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  • Johnson, Daniel E. (July 2006). Japanese Baseball: A Statistical Handbook. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2841-0.