"You’ll Never See 3,085 Hits Again"—‘The Eternal Hitting Machine’ Isao Harimoto Dies at 86

[Financial News] Isao Harimoto, a Zainichi Korean baseball legend who held the career hits record in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), died on the 9th. He was 86.
Major Japanese media outlets, including TBS, reported simultaneously on the 10th that "Isao Harimoto died at around 5 p.m. on the 9th at a hospital in Tokyo."
Born in Hiroshima Prefecture, Harimoto made his mark on an era as a key hitter for the Toei Flyers and Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball.
His baseball career was defined by records. He won the batting title seven times during his playing days and set numerous milestones, including becoming the first player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to reach 3,000 career hits.

From his professional debut in 1959 until his retirement in 1981, he recorded a .319 career batting average, 3,085 hits, 504 home runs, and 1,676 RBIs. His 3,085 hits remain the all-time hits record in Nippon Professional Baseball, unbroken to this day.
Harimoto also maintained a deep connection with and devoted himself to Korean baseball.
He served as a special adviser to the president of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) from the league’s launch in 1982 until 2005, helping lay the foundation for Korean professional baseball. In particular, he worked behind the scenes to help talented Zainichi Korean players enter the Korean league in its early years and raise its overall standard.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter