Biography

Senichi Hoshino

Flying en route to Tianjin, People’s Republic of China to dedicate the Dodger Baseball Field that he privately built, Dodger President Peter O’Malley with Major League Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn (1969-1984) and Japan Baseball Hall of Famer Senichi Hoshino. Dedication ceremonies were held at Tianjin Institute for Physical and Cultural Education on September 12, 1986. Hoshino was a commentator for TV in Japan following his career with the Chunichi Dragons.

Senichi Hoshino was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017. Hoshino, a right-handed pitcher (starter and relief) for the Chunichi Dragons, compiled a 146-121 record with 34 saves in his career from 1969-1982. In 1986, while serving as a television commentator, Hoshino traveled from Japan to Tianjin, People’s Republic of China to see the dedication of the baseball field that Peter privately built at Tianjin Institute of Physical and Cultural Education. He interviewed Peter on that occasion, with Dodger Assistant to the President Akihiro “Ike” Ikuhara interpreting. Hoshino began his managerial career with Chunichi in 1987. That year, Peter O’Malley made a special arrangement for two Chunichi rookies to play for the Sarasota Dodgers Single-A farm team. In 1988, Peter invited the Dragons to Dodgertown, Vero Beach, Florida for Spring Training and it was Hoshino in his second season at the helm. He and Peter bonded from that important trip. In 17 seasons, Hoshino compiled 1,181 wins as manager of the Dragons (1987-1991, 1996-2001), Hanshin Tigers (2002-2003) and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2011-2014). It was because of their longtime friendship that Hoshino asked Peter to throw the ceremonial first pitch for Game 4 of the 1999 Japan Series on October 27 at Nagoya Dome.

Upon Hoshino’s January 4, 2018 passing at age 70, Peter O’Malley said, “Baseball fans in Japan have lost one of their most popular players, managers and commentators with the passing of Senichi Hoshino. My earliest recollection of him is when he very successfully pitched for the Chunichi Dragons against the Yomiuri Giants in the 1970s. After he retired as a player, he was by my side in Tianjin, China when we opened the Dodger Goodwill Baseball Field at Tianjin University in 1986. He was a lifetime friend and I have great memories of when, under his leadership, he brought the Dragons to Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Florida in 1988 for spring training. I will miss talking international baseball with him.”