The Egawa Incident and Shocking Trade
Shigeru Kobayashi was born in 1952 in Tottori and was a key pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants. After the 1978 season, the 'Egawa Incident' surrounding Suguru Egawa's Yomiuri entry forced Kobayashi into a trade to the Hanshin Tigers against his will. He tearfully faced the press conference. The incident remains one of NPB's greatest scandals. In January 1979, Kobayashi was traded to Hanshin following Egawa's Yomiuri entry. Having won 18 games for the Yomiuri the previous year, the trade shocked baseball. He tearfully accepted.
22 Revenge Wins at Hanshin
In 1979, Kobayashi posted a stunning 22-9 record with a 2.89 ERA. Against his former team the Yomiuri, he went 8-0, a streak remembered as the 'Revenge 8.' His pitching against the Yomiuri burned with extraordinary fighting spirit. He won the most wins title that year. In his 1979 Hanshin debut, Kobayashi went 22-9. He was 8-0 against the Yomiuri specifically, earning the revenge 22 wins legend and the Sawamura Award.
Too-Brief Hanshin Tenure
Kobayashi's Hanshin success was short-lived. Shoulder injuries from 1980 onward caused declining performance. He retired at 31 in 1983 with a 39-34 Hanshin record. Though only five years, his 22-win 1979 season is deeply etched in Hanshin fans' memory. However, 1979's overwork caused subsequent injuries. He retired at just 31 in 1983 with 139 career wins. His five Hanshin years were brief but overwhelmingly impactful.
Premature Death and Eternal Memory
On January 17, 2010, Kobayashi died suddenly of heart failure at 57. His premature death shocked the baseball world. His Hanshin legacy is as a symbol of fighting spirit against adversity. Accepting an unwanted trade and delivering the ultimate response against his former team, his 1979 season ranks among professional baseball's most dramatic stories.