Kenji Hirano

Kenji Hirano (平野 謙二)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 150 lb.

• High School Kainan High School

• Born September 16, 1927 in Wakayama Prefecture Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Kenji Hirano played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 11 years.

Hirano signed with the Taiyo Robins in 1946, and he hit .180/.246/.198 in 70 games in his first season. He was 0-2 with a 4.41 ERA on the mound as well, but that would be his only season pitching; he would play over 100 games in his career at second, third and outfield and over 50 at short. He played 53 games with a .174/.221/.235 batting line in 1947, and he only got 19 at-bats in 1948. He bounced back in 1949, and he collected 5 triples with a .244/.299/.373 batting line. However, Hirano slumped to .164/.282/.358 in 1950, and he struggled again in 1951 as he had a .198/.224/.355 batting line in 41 games. Hirano collected a career-high 17 doubles in 1952 with a .224/.279/.317 batting line, but he lost his spot after the Robins merged with the Taiyo Whales and became the Taiyo Shochiku Robins. Hirano only went 1-for-14 in 1953, and he played 109 games with a .211/.259/.316 batting line in 1954. He then jumped to the Daiei Stars, and he hit .157/.203/.186 in 1955. Hirano recorded a .197/.271/.265 batting line in 57 games in 1956, and he then announced his retirement.

Overall, Hirano hit .206/.262/.299 with 359 hits and 27 homers in 11 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan