January 29, 1988, Ike Ikuhara’s office, Dodger Stadium, (L-R) Shigeo Nagashima, Japan Baseball Hall of Famer and Tokyo Yomiuri Giants Manager; Motoshi Fujita, Japan Baseball Hall of Famer and two-time Japan Series Championship Manager, Tokyo Yomiuri Giants; and Dodger President Peter O’Malley. Presentation of replica suit of armor (O-Yoroi or Great Armor) as an extraordinary gift on behalf of Toru Shoriki, owner, Tokyo Yomiuri Giants and Giants’ Managers Nagashima, Fujita and Tetsuharu Kawakami (not present) for the decades long friendship between the Shoriki and O’Malley families. The suit of armor will be on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame “Yakyu | Baseball” exhibit beginning next month in Cooperstown, NY.
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Statement of Peter O’Malley on Shigeo Nagashima’s Passing, June 3, 2025
Peter O’Malley and Tokyo Yomiuri Giants player and Manager Shigeo Nagashima, who passed on June 3, 2025 in Tokyo, enjoyed a longtime friendship dating back to 1961. Nagashima played as a third baseman for the Giants from 1958-74 and then managed Yomiuri from 1975-80 and 1993-2001. In 1988, he was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame as a six-time Central League batting champion and member of 11 Japan Series championship teams as a player. His uniform No. 3 was retired by the Giants. As manager, Nagashima guided the Giants to two additional Japan Series titles. He was 89 years old.
STATEMENT OF PETER O’MALLEY, PRESIDENT, LOS ANGELES DODGERS, 1970-1998:
“The passing of Shigeo Nagashima is very difficult for me. The first time we met was in spring training, 1961 at Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida. My Dad told me ‘take care of the Tokyo Giants’ and my responsibility was to handle all their arrangements from arrival to departure. We bonded then and our friendship lasted more than 60 years.
“In 1967 and 1971, Mr. Nagashima and the Giants were back at Dodgertown for spring training and won the Japan Series both seasons. In 1975, Mr. Nagashima returned to Dodgertown in his first year as Giants manager. We spent a lot of time together discussing international baseball and that continued when I saw him in Tokyo throughout the years. My thoughts are with the Nagashima family and the many baseball fans throughout Japan.”
