Best Nine Award
 | This article needs more citations. (January 2017) |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| League | Nippon Professional Baseball |
| Awarded for | Best player at each position in the Pacific League and Central League |
| History | |
| First award | 1950–present (NPB) 1940, 1947–1949 (JBL) |
The Best Nine Award is an annual Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) honor bestowed upon the best players across the Central League and Pacific League at each position during the season. As determined by a pool of journalists, one player from each position, plus one for the designated hitter in the Pacific League since 1975, is selected for the honor. The Central League plans to utilize the designated hitter starting in the 2027 season, which may possibly mean that they may amend the Best Nine Award to accommodate for a best player at the DH position just like the Pacific League does.[1]
History
[edit]While the Best Nine Award was first presented to players following the 1940 season, it was not until 1947 (after World War II) that it became an annual award. After the Japanese Baseball League was divided into Central and Pacific leagues in 1950, the award was presented to nine players from each league. Following the Pacific League's adoption of the DH rule in 1975, ten players (including the best designated hitter) have been chosen for the Best Nine Award in the Pacific League alone each year.
Selection process
[edit]Journalists vote on the best pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, and three outfielders (typically chosen on merit of best offensive numbers, with the exception of pitchers) in each of the two leagues. As is the case with the Silver Slugger Award, said to be the Major League equivalent of the award, left fielders, center fielders, and right fielders are not chosen separately.
Voters for the award are chosen from journalists employed by national newspaper, broadcast, or communication outlets with five or more years of experience in covering professional baseball. Each voter selects one player at each position in each league; the player with the most votes at each position receives the Best Nine Award. Until 2004, the winning players of the award were announced two days after the final game of the Japan Series; from 2005 onwards, the winners have been announced at the Professional Baseball Convention, the NPB's annual awards ceremony.
Because of the nature of the voting process, it is possible, although exceedingly rare, that two or more players may end up with the same number of votes at any given position. In 2004, Masahiro Araki of the Chunichi Dragons and Greg LaRocca, then of the Hiroshima Carp, were tied for most votes for the Central League second baseman (each received 80 votes from the 190 total votes), the first time a tie had occurred since the current two-league system was adopted.[2]
In addition, it is also possible that a player ends up with the most votes at more than one position in the same season. In 1966, then-Nankai Hawks infielder Yasuhiro Kunisada ended up with the most votes at both second base and third base in the Pacific League. He only received the award at second base, and the award for best third baseman went to Tony Roig of the Nishitetsu Lions. In 2016, Shohei Ohtani of Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters received the awards at pitcher and DH.[3]
Other notes
[edit]In the Central League, the pitcher that receives the Best Nine Award is also named the league's Most Valuable Pitcher. This is not the case in the Pacific League, where the pitcher with the highest winning percentage (among those that have thrown the required number of innings) is named the Most Valuable Pitcher.
Key
[edit]
| Year | Links to the corresponding Nippon Professional Baseball season |
| 1B | First baseman |
| 2B | Second baseman |
| 3B | Third baseman |
| SS | Shortstop |
| OF | Outfielder |
| C | Catcher |
| P | Pitcher |
| DH | Designated hitter |
| * | Winner of the most Best Nine Awards at his position (* indicates tie) |
| † | Member of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame |
List of Best Nine Award winners
[edit]Japanese Baseball League (1940, 1947–1949)
[edit]| Year | P | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | OF | OF | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Victor Starffin† (Kyojin) | Yoshio Tanaka (Hanshin Club) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Kyojin) | Hisanori Karita (Tsubasa) | Shigeru Mizuhara† (Kyojin) | Fujio Ueda (Hankyu) | Kazuo Kito (Lion) | Haruyasu Nakajima† (Kyojin) | Den Yamada (Hankyu) | [4] |
| 1947 | Takehiko Bessho† (Nankai Hawks) | Takeshi Doigaki (Osaka Tigers) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Kiyoshi Sugiura (Chunichi Dragons) | Masayasu Kaneda (Osaka Tigers) | Hiroshi Oshita (Tokyu Flyers) | Michinori Tsubouchi (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1948 | Takehiko Bessho† (Nankai Hawks) Hiroshi Nakao (Yomiuri Giants) Juzo Sanada (Taiyo Robins) | Takeshi Doigaki (Osaka Tigers) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Chusuke Kizuka (Nankai Hawks) | Noboru Aota (Yomiuri Giants) | Kaoru Betto† (Osaka Tigers) | Michinori Tsubouchi (Kinsei Stars) | [4] |
| 1949 | Hideo Fujimoto (Yomiuri Giants) | Takeshi Doigaki (Osaka Tigers) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Chusuke Kizuka (Nankai Hawks) | Makoto Kozuru (Daiei Stars) | Hiroshi Oshita (Tokyu Flyers) | Kaoru Betto† (Osaka Tigers) | [4] |
Nippon Professional Baseball (1950–present)
[edit]Central League
[edit]| Year | P | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | OF | OF | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Juzo Sanada (Shochiku Robins) | Shoji Arakawa (Shochiku Robins) | Michio Nishizawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Katsumi Shiraishi (Hiroshima Carp) | Noboru Aota (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshiyuki Iwamoto (Shochiku Robins) | Makoto Kozuru (Shochiku Robins) | [4] |
| 1951 | Takehiko Bessho† (Yomiuri Giants) | Akira Noguchi (Nagoya Dragons) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Saburo Hirai (Yomiuri Giants) | Noboru Aota (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshiyuki Iwamoto (Shochiku Robins) | Masayasu Kaneda (Osaka Tigers) | [4] |
| 1952 | Takehiko Bessho† (Yomiuri Giants) | Akira Noguchi (Nagoya Dragons) | Michio Nishizawa (Nagoya Dragons) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Fumio Fujimura (Osaka Tigers) | Saburo Hirai (Yomiuri Giants) | Yuko Minamimura (Yomiuri Giants) | Satoru Sugiyama (Nagoya Dragons) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1953 | Takumi Otomo (Yomiuri Giants) | Jun Hirota (Yomiuri Giants) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Chiba * (Yomiuri Giants) | Alan Yogi (Osaka Tigers) | Saburo Hirai (Yomiuri Giants) | Masayasu Kaneda Osaka Tigers | Yuko Minamimura (Yomiuri Giants) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1954 | Shigeru Sugishita (Chunichi Dragons) | Jun Hirota (Yomiuri Giants) | Michio Nishizawa (Chunichi Dragons | Jun Hakota (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Mitsuo Uno (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Tatsuro Hirooka (Yomiuri Giants) | Satoru Sugiyama (Chunichi Dragons) | Hiroyuki Watanabe (Osaka Tigers) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1955 | Takehiko Bessho† (Yomiuri Giants) | Jun Hirota (Yomiuri Giants) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Noboru Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Riichi Kodama (Chunichi Dragons) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Yukihiko Machida (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Hiroyuki Watanabe (Osaka Tigers) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1956 | Takehiko Bessho† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Fujio (Yomiuri Giants) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Noboru Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Riichi Kodama (Chunichi Dragons) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Noboru Aota (Taiyo Whales) | Kenjiro Tamiya (Osaka Tigers) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1957 | Masaichi Kaneda (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Shigeru Fujio (Yomiuri Giants) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Noboru Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Hideshi Miyake (Osaka Tigers) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Noboru Aota (Taiyo Whales) | Kenjiro Tamiya (Osaka Tigers) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1958 | Masaichi Kaneda (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Shigeru Fujio (Yomiuri Giants) | Tetsuharu Kawakami† (Yomiuri Giants) | Noboru Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Toru Mori (Chunichi Dragons) | Kenjiro Tamiya (Osaka Tigers) | Wally Yonamine† (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1959 | Motoshi Fujita (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Fujio (Yomiuri Giants) | Katsumi Fujimoto (Osaka Tigers) | Masataka Tsuchiya (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Toru Mori (Chunichi Dragons) | Akira Owada (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Kazuhiko Sakazaki (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1960 | Noboru Akiyama (Taiyo Whales) | Kiyoshi Doi (Taiyo Whales) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Noboru Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Osaka Tigers) | Toru Mori (Chunichi Dragons) | Toshio Naka (Chunichi Dragons) | Teruo Namiki (Osaka Tigers) | [4] |
| 1961 | Hiroshi Gondo (Chunichi Dragons) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Katsumi Fujimoto (Hanshin Tigers) | Masataka Tsuchiya (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Akiteru Kono (Chunichi Dragons) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Katsuya Morinaga (Hiroshima Carp) | [4] |
| 1962 | Minoru Murayama (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshitaka Kosaka (Hiroshima Carp) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Katsuya Morinaga (Hiroshima Carp) | Teruo Namiki (Hanshin Tigers) | [4] |
| 1963 | Masaichi Kaneda (Kokutetsu Swallows) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Takeshi Koba (Hiroshima Carp) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Eiji Fujii (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | [4] |
| 1964 | Gene Bacque (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Hanshin Tigers) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Shozo Shigematsu (Taiyo Whales) | [4] |
| 1965 | Minoru Murayama (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshio Yoshida† (Hanshin Tigers) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Toshio Naka (Chunichi Dragons) | [4] |
| 1966 | Minoru Murayama (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shuhei Ichieda (Chunichi Dragons) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Toshio Naka (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazuyoshi Yamamoto (Hiroshima Carp) | [4] |
| 1967 | Kentaro Ogawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazuhiko Kondo (Taiyo Whales) | Toshio Naka (Chunichi Dragons) | Isao Shibata (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1968 | Yutaka Enatsu (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaaki Mori† (Yomiuri Giants) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shozo Doi (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yukinobu Kuroe (Yomiuri Giants) | Shinichi Eto (Chunichi Dragons) | Dave Roberts (Sankei Atoms) | Kazuhiro Yamauchi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1969 | Kazumi Takahashi (Yomiuri Giants) | Tatsuhiko Kimata (Chunichi Dragons) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Shozo Doi (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Dave Roberts (Sankei Atoms) | Shigeru Takada (Yomiuri Giants) | Kazuyoshi Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1970 | Masaji Hiramatsu (Taiyo Whales) | Tatsuhiko Kimata (Chunichi Dragons) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Motoo Andoh (Hanshin Tigers) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Akira Ejiri (Taiyo Whales) | Toshio Naka (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeru Takada (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1971 | Masaji Hiramatsu (Taiyo Whales) | Tatsuhiko Kimata (Chunichi Dragons) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Yasuhiro Kunisada (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Jitsuo Mizutani (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Isao Shibata (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Takada (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1972 | Tsuneo Horiuchi (Yomiuri Giants) | Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin Tigers) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | John Sipin (Taiyo Whales) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Toshiyuki Mimura (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Isao Shibata (Yomiuri Giants) | Shigeru Takada (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Atoms) | [4] |
| 1973 | Kazumi Takahashi (Yomiuri Giants) | Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin Tigers) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | John Sipin (Taiyo Whales) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Akira Ejiri (Taiyo Whales) | Isao Shibata (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Atoms) | [4] |
| 1974 | Tsuneo Horiuchi (Yomiuri Giants) | Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin Tigers) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Shigeo Nagashima† (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Gene Martin (Chunichi Dragons) | Toshimitsu Suetsugu (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | [4] |
| 1975 | Yoshiro Sotokoba (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin Tigers) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsuyoshi Oshita (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Sachio Kinugasa (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Toshiyuki Mimura (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Hiroaki Inoue (Chunichi Dragons) | Roger Repoz (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1976 | Kojiro Ikegaya (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Koichi Tabuchi (Hanshin Tigers) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Davey Johnson (Yomiuri Giants) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Toshiyuki Mimura (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Isao Harimoto† (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Kenichi Yazawa (Chunichi Dragons) | [4] |
| 1977 | Shigeru Kobayashi (Yomiuri Giants) | Tatsuhiko Kimata (Chunichi Dragons) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Morimichi Takagi * (Chunichi Dragons) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazumasa Kono (Yomiuri Giants) | Isao Harimoto† (Yomiuri Giants) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1978 | Hisao Niura (Yomiuri Giants) | Akihiko Ohya (Yakult Swallows) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Dave Hilton (Yakult Swallows) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Yoshihiko Takahashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Charlie Manuel (Yakult Swallows) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1979 | Shigeru Kobayashi (Hanshin Tigers) | Tatsuhiko Kimata (Chunichi Dragons) | Sadaharu Oh† (Yomiuri Giants) | Felix Millan (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Yoshihiko Takahashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Mike Reinbach (Hanshin Tigers) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1980 | Suguru Egawa (Yomiuri Giants) | Akihiko Ohya (Yakult Swallows) | Kenichi Yazawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Mitsuo Motoi (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Sachio Kinugasa (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Yoshihiko Takahashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Toru Sugiura (Yakult Swallows) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1981 | Suguru Egawa (Yomiuri Giants) | Kazuhiro Yamakura (Yomiuri Giants) | Taira Fujita (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazunori Shinozuka (Yomiuri Giants) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Daisuke Yamashita (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Jim Lyttle (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Yasushi Tao (Chunichi Dragons) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1982 | Manabu Kitabeppu (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Takayoshi Nakao (Chunichi Dragons) | Kenichi Yazawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazunori Shinozuka Yomiuri Giants) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Masaru Uno (Chunichi Dragons) | Keiji Nagasaki (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Yasushi Tao (Chunichi Dragons) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1983 | Kazuhiko Endo (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Kazuhiro Yamakura (Yomiuri Giants) | Kenichi Yazawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Akinobu Mayumi (Hanshin Tigers) | Tatsunori Hara (Yomiuri Giants) | Yoshihiko Takahashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Tadashi Matsumoto (Yomiuri Giants) | Yasushi Tao (Chunichi Dragons) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1984 | Kazuo Yamane (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Mitsuo Tatsukawa (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Kenichi Yazawa (Chunichi Dragons) | Kazunori Shinozuka (Yomiuri Giants) | Sachio Kinugasa (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Masaru Uno (Chunichi Dragons) | Tsutomu Wakamatsu (Yakult Swallows) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Ryuzo Yamasaki (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1985 | Tatsuo Komatsu (Chunichi Dragons) | Yukio Yaegashi (Yakult Swallows) | Randy Bass (Hanshin Tigers) | Akinobu Okada (Hanshin Tigers) | Masayuki Kakefu (Hanshin Tigers) | Yutaka Takagi (Yokohama Taiyo Whales) | Akinobu Mayumi (Hanshin Tigers) | Toru Sugiura (Yakult Swallows) | Ryuzo Yamasaki (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | [4] |
| 1986 | Manabu Kitabeppu (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Mitsuo Tatsukawa (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Randy Bass (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazunori Shinozuka (Yomiuri Giants) | Leon Lee (Yakult Swallows) | Yoshihiko Takahashi (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Warren Cromartie (Yomiuri Giants) | Koji Yamamoto (Hiroshima Toyo Carp) | Sadaaki Yoshimura (Yomiuri Giants) | [4] |
| 1987 | Masumi Kuwata (Yomiuri Giants) | Kazuhiro Yamakura (Yomiuri Giants) | Randy Bass (Hanshin Tigers) | Kazunori Shinozuka (Yomiuri Giants) | Tatsunori Hara (Yomiuri Giants) |