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Sapporo continued its Japan League North Division dominance in 1951, winning the title for the fifth straight year and eighth time in nine years. The Swordfish finished 107-55, needing a strong year to fend off a solid 103-59 Yokohama squad and 98-64 Sendai. The South Division was competitive, but weak. Osaka took the title for the first time since 1946 with the Orange Sox at 86-76. Hiroshima and Kobe both finished two back at 84-78 and Kitakyushu was five away at 81-81.

Sendai’s Hidetsugo Fujino had a monster year to earn the MVP. The 25-year old RF led the league in home runs (57), RBI (138), hits (212), runs (126), slash (.362/.431/.718), OPS (1.149), wRC+ (251), and WAR (11.3). Fujino was only the third EAB hitter to earn a Triple Crown and the first since 1941. Yokohama’s Haruo Matsuzaki was Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old left led in wins (20), strikeouts (316), WAR (8.5), and WHIP (0.86). He had a 2.22 ERA, just one point away from a Triple Crown season.



Seoul had the best record in Korea at 101-61, giving the Seahawks their third playoff berth in four years. They bounced back after missing last year to Incheon, who fell to second place in the North Divison at 91-71. Daegu took the South Division at 95-67, five games ahead of Busan. The Diamondbacks earned their first playoff berth in a decade. Last year’s division champ Daejeon fell off hard from 101 games to 72 games.

Incheon LF Tae-U Chun was the league MVP, leading Korea in runs (112), doubles (45), average (.345), OPB (.396), and WAR (7.4). Seoul’s Yorinobu Hayase was Pitcher of the Year at age 29. Hayase had 23 wins, a 2.68 ERA, 297 strikeouts, and 7.4 WAR.

The Japanese League Championship Series saw Sapporo defeat Osaka in five games, giving the Swordfish six titles in the last eight years. Sapporo now has eight total Japan titles, tying them with Korea’s Busan for the most of any EAB team. The KLCS had Seoul sweep Daegu in the first KLCS sweep since 1933. The win gives the Seahawks a third title in four years. The East Asian Championship would be a seven game classic with Sapporo edging Seoul in the end. The Swordfish win their third EAB title in their run and fourth overall, tied with Busan for the most.





Other notes: Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan became the first EAB hitter to 3500 career hits. Tan would play two more seasons, retiring the all-time EAB hit king at 3871. Oki Tanaka became the first (and as of 2036, the only) EAB closer to 500 career saves. He’d ultimately retire after the 1954 season with the all-time mark of 565.

Taiji Makino became the sixth to 4000 career strikeouts. Ha-Jun Cho became the second player to both 1500 runs scored and 1500 RBI. Si-U Gim became the seventh to 500 home runs. Jong Lee had a 32-game hit streak, the third longest in EAB history. Ha-Min Park won his ninth Silver Slugger as a DH.