Koji Akiyama

Koji Akiyama (秋山 幸二 Akiyama Kōji, born April 6, 1962) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played for the Seibu Lions and the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (currently the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks) in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

Playing career A speedy slugger, Akiyama accumulated more than 400 career home runs and 300 career stolen bases, a feat matched only by one other NPB player in history (Isao Harimoto). Akiyama was an integral part of the "Invincible Seibu" during the 1980s and 1990s, named such due to their sustained domination of the league, winning 11 league championships and eight Japan Series championships between 1982–1994. (Akiyama left Seibu after the 1993 season.) On July 13, 1989, Akiyama hit for the cycle.

Around 1990, he was called "The man closest to the Major Leagues." At the time, it was an unimaginable dream for a Japanese player to play in MLB, but his ability, which was complete with running, hitting, and fielding, led to that nickname.

Akiayma was a Best Nine Award-winner eight times, a Golden Glove winner 11 times (1987–1996, 1999), and appeared in 18 consecutive Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Series (1985–2002), an NPB record. In addition, Akiyama was Japan Series MVP twice (1991 and 1999), and a Matsutaro Shoriki Award-winner three times (1991, 2011, and 2014). (He also struck out 1,712 times, third on the all-time list.) Akiyama was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. He is also a member of Meikyukai (the Golden Players Club).

Managing career He replaced Sadaharu Oh on October 8, 2008 as manager of the Hawks, serving as the team's manager through 2014.

Career statistics ※Bolded figures are league leading

Titles and accomplishments Home Run Champion : once (1987) Stolen Bases Champion : once (1990) Decisive RBIs Champion : 4 times (1985,1987)