I have been an enthusiastic fan of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks since I was a kid. The team had been franchized in Osaka and owned by a railway company 'Nankai' until they were sold to a big supermarket 'Daiei' and moved to Fukuoka City of Kyushu in 1988. Then Daiei sold the team to the current owner 'SoftBank' in 2004. Whoever owns the team, I love the Hawks. I sometimes bought Baseball Magazine, both weekly and monthly ones, and kept some memorial ones. I chose some gravures from the magazines here.
In 1964 the Hawks won the pennant race of the Pacific League and the ace pitcher Joe Stanka won as many as 26 games aginst 7 losses. The Hawks played with the Hanshin Tigers, the champion of another league-Central League- and won the champion series by 4-3. Stanka pitched four games as a starting pitcher and won three games, 1st,6th and 7th games all by shutouts. The final game was held on October 10, 1964. It was the day when the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics was held.
He was awarded MVP and given an automobile as an additional prize.
His teammate Tadashi Sugiura showered beer over him.
Stanka and his teammates
Sugiura, Nomura, Stanka, Hirose and Koike(From left to right)
I am sorry to hear the news that this great pitcher-Joe Donald Stanka- passed away on October 15, 2018.
RIP.
Additional photos.
Other gravures from Baseball Magazine
In 1964 the Hawks won the pennant race of the Pacific League and the ace pitcher Joe Stanka won as many as 26 games aginst 7 losses. The Hawks played with the Hanshin Tigers, the champion of another league-Central League- and won the champion series by 4-3. Stanka pitched four games as a starting pitcher and won three games, 1st,6th and 7th games all by shutouts. The final game was held on October 10, 1964. It was the day when the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics was held.
He was awarded MVP and given an automobile as an additional prize.
His teammate Tadashi Sugiura showered beer over him.
I am sorry to hear the news that this great pitcher-Joe Donald Stanka- passed away on October 15, 2018.
RIP.
The above is an obituary of Joe Stanka.
Additional photos.
Other gravures from Baseball Magazine
After the 6the game Stanka left the stadium with his wife.
Teammates tossed Stanka into the air as a ritual.
