The 1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the twelfth season of operation of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Regular season Standings + Central League regular season standings Team G W L T Pct. GBYomiuri Giants 130 71 53 6 .569 —Chunichi Dragons 130 72 56 2 .562 1.0Kokutetsu Swallows 130 67 60 3 .527 5.5Hanshin Tigers 130 60 67 3 .473 12.5Hiroshima Carp 130 58 67 5 .465 13.5Taiyo Whales 130 50 75 5 .404 21.5
+ Pacific League regular season standings Team G W L T Pct. GBNankai Hawks 140 85 49 6 .629 —Toei Flyers 140 83 52 5 .611 2.5Nishitetsu Lions 140 81 56 3 .589 5.5Daimai Orions 140 72 66 2 .521 15.0Hankyu Braves 140 53 84 3 .389 33.5Kintetsu Buffaloes 140 36 103 1 .261 51.5
Postseason
Japan Series
League leaders
Central League
+ Batting leaders Stat Player Team Total Batting average Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants .353 Home runs Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 28 Runs batted in Takeshi Kuwata Taiyo Whales 94 Runs Toshio Naka Chunichi Dragons 88 Hits Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants 158 Stolen bases Kazuhiko Kondo Taiyo Whales 35
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Team Total Wins Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 35 Losses Masaaki Koyama Hanshin Tigers 22 Earned run average Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 1.70 Strikeouts Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 310 Innings pitched Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons 429
Pacific League
+ Batting leaders Stat Player Team Total Batting average Isao Harimoto Toei Flyers .336 Home runs Katsuya NomuraYoshihiro Nakata Nankai HawksHankyu Braves 29 Runs batted in Kazuhiro Yamauchi Daimai Orions 112 Runs Akio Saionji Toei Flyers 97 Hits Kihachi Enomoto Daimai Orions 180 Stolen bases Yoshinori Hirose Nankai Hawks 42
+ Pitching leaders Stat Player Team Total Wins Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 42 Losses Toshiaki Tokuhisa Kintetsu Buffaloes 24 Earned run average Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 1.69 Strikeouts Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 353 Innings pitched Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions 404
Awards Most Valuable Player Shigeo Nagashima, Yomiuri Giants (CL) Katsuya Nomura, Nankai Hawks (PL) Rookie of the Year Hiroshi Gondo, Chunichi Dragons (CL) Toshiaki Tokuhisa, Kintetsu Buffaloes (PL) Eiji Sawamura Award Hiroshi Gondo, Chunichi Dragons (CL)
+ Central League Best Nine Award winners Position Player Team Pitcher Hiroshi Gondo Chunichi Dragons Catcher Masahiko Mori Yomiuri Giants First baseman Katsumi Fujimoto Hanshin Tigers Second baseman Masataka Tsuchiya Kokutetsu Swallows Third baseman Shigeo Nagashima Yomiuri Giants Shortstop Akiteru Kono Chunichi DragonsOutfielder Kazuhiko Kondo Taiyo Whales Shinichi Eto Chunichi Dragons Katsuji Morinaga Hiroshima Carp
+ Pacific League Best Nine Award winners Position Player Team Pitcher Kazuhisa Inao Nishitetsu Lions Catcher Katsuya Nomura Nankai Hawks First baseman Kihachi Enomoto Daimai Orions Second baseman Nobuyasu Morishita Nankai Hawks Third baseman Futoshi Nakanishi Nishitetsu Lions Shortstop Yasumitsu Toyoda Nishitetsu LionsOutfielder Kazuhiro Yamauchi Daimai Orions Kenjiro Tamiya Daimai Orions Isao Harimoto Toei Flyers
See also 1961 Major League Baseball season
References