was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. In 1957, he won 20 consecutive games. In 1958 Japan Series, he won 4 consecutive games after his team lost 3 games. He was the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player in 1957 and 1958. He had 42 wins in 1961. Fans called his great success "God, Buddha, Inao".
In 1964, he injured his shoulder, and in 1965 came back to full time pitching, mainly in relief.
He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.[cite web]
url=http://mdn.mainichi.jp/sports/news/20071113p2a00m0sp036000c.html|title=Baseball legend Inao dies in Fukuoka|accessdate=2007-11-13 |author=|date= |work= |publisher=Mainichi Daily News] Career statistics
*Bolded figures are league-leading
Titles and Award
*Rookie of the Year : (1956)[cite book |author=Charlton, James; Shatzkin, Mike; Holtje, Stephen |title=The Ballplayers: baseball's ultimate biographical reference |publisher=Arbor House/William Morrow |location=New York |year=1990 |pages= pg 509|isbn=0-87795-984-6 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=2008-06-26] ]
*Wins Champion : 4 times (1957,1958,1961,1963)
*Winning Percentage Champion: 2 times (1957,1961)
*ERA Champion : 5 times (1956-1958,1961,1966)
*Strikeout Champion : 3 times (1958,1961,1963)
*MVP : 2 times (1957-1958)
*Best Nine : 5 times (1957-1958,1961-1963)Record
*42 Wins (1961) (National Record, tied)
*20 consecutive wins (1957) (National Record)
*78 Games Played (1961) (Pacific League Record)
*1.06 ERA (1956) (Pacific Lague Record, National Rookie-Year Record)
*404 inning Piched (1961) (Pacific League Record)
*11 wins in single month (Aug, 1956) (National Record)
*4 complete game in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied)
*4 wins in single Japan Series (1958) (Japan Series Record, tied)
*11 career wins in Japan Series (tied with Tsuneo Horiuchi)
References
External links
*japanesebaseball|id=1714
