Isao Harimoto, Japanese baseball legend and atomic bomb survivor, dies at 86

Isao Harimoto, a legendary Japanese baseball player and Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor, has died in Tokyo at the age of 86. Known as the ‘Hit Machine,’ Harimoto holds the Nippon Professional Baseball record for the most career hits with 3,085.

During his 23-season career spanning from 1959 to 1981, Harimoto played for the Toei Flyers, Yomiuri Giants, and Lotte Orions. He was an 18-time All-Star and remains the only player in NPB history to achieve over 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, and 300 stolen bases.

Harimoto’s life was marked by significant resilience. Born to Korean parents in Hiroshima, he survived the 1945 atomic bombing, an event that claimed the life of his sister. Additionally, a childhood accident left him with severe burns and limited mobility in his right hand, forcing him to become a left-handed hitter. Following his retirement, he became a prominent and outspoken baseball commentator.

He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 and was a vocal advocate for peace and nuclear disarmament.