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.
Japanese baseball icon Isao Harimoto, who survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing and became the first player from his nation to achieve 3,000 hits, has passed away at the age of 86, according to reports on Thursday. Born to Korean parents in Japan, Harimoto initially learned to play baseball left-handed after a childhood accident left him with severe burns and limited use of his right hand.
As a five-year-old survivor of the atomic blast, his mother and sister had selflessly sacrificed themselves by standing between him and the blast's fury. Harimoto went on to accumulate an impressive 3,085 career hits, a record that remains unbroken in Nippon Professional Baseball. Throughout his career, he donned the jersey of various teams in Japan, including the dominating Yomiuri Giants, earning him the moniker 'Hit Machine' for his incredible batting skills.
After a 23-year professional baseball career, Harimoto transitioned to a career as a TV commentator. He was posthumously inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990.
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