Japanese baseball great and atomic bomb survivor Harimoto dies at 86
Isao Harimoto survived the atomic bombing as a five-year-old after his mother shielded him and his sister from the blast.
Isao Harimoto, a legendary Japanese baseball player and atomic bomb survivor, passed away at the age of 86, according to reports on Thursday. Born to Korean parents, Harimoto began his career as a left-handed player after a childhood accident left him with severe burns and restricted mobility in his right hand. As a five-year-old, he miraculously survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when his mother selflessly shielded him and his sister from the blast.
Harimoto's impressive batting skills earned him the nickname 'Hit Machine' and he played for several teams in Japan, including the dominant Yomiuri Giants. Throughout his illustrious 23-season career, Harimoto amassed a total of 3,085 hits, a record that remains unbroken in Nippon Professional Baseball. He retired in 1981 and subsequently became a TV commentator. Harimoto was posthumously inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
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