Ace Hurler
Jamie Barras
“H. Nishikawa, of Kobe University, Japan, has signed on the dotted line for Corinthians and will be in the line-up against Pirates to-morrow at Romford.
Nishikawa, twenty-five years of age, is an in-fielder of repute, having represented Japan against the U.S.A.”
Name: Hidezo ‘H’ Nishikawa (西川英三, Nishikawa Hidezo)
Born: Osaka, Japan, 16 September 1909.
Education: Ichioka Junior High School (市岡中学校), graduating in 1926; Kobe Higher School of Commerce (神戸高等商業学校; renamed Kobe University of Commerce (神戸商業大学), 1929), graduating in 1931.
Baseball Career in Japan: Two appearances at Summer Koshien and three at Spring Koshien, 1924–1926, pitching for Ichioka Junior High School; winner of two individual prizes, 1926 Spring Koshien; pitcher for Kobe Higher Commercial School/Kobe University of Commerce Baseball club 1927–1931; member of semipro team Star Club (スター倶楽部) in the early 1930s, including a possible appearance for Star Club against visiting ‘Negro Leagues’ team, the Philadelphia Royal Giants, 1932; two appearances at the Intercity Baseball Championship, 1932 and 1933, pitching for All-Osaka (全大阪).
Baseball Career in the UK: Pitcher, Corinthians, 1937 Season London Major Baseball League; pitcher, Romford Wasps, 1938 Season London Senior Baseball League; pitcher (one game) Hull Giants, 1938 International Professional baseball League; player, All-London team versus USA Amateurs, 1938.
Returned to Japan: 3 February 1939.
Died: Ashiya, Japan, 3 March 1988.
The Full Hidezo ‘H’ Nishikawa story—coming soon.
Images: postcard and programme, author’s own collection; newspaper cuttings, images created by British Library Board. No known copyright holder.
‘H’ Nishikawa Timeline
“H. Nishikawa” Timeline I: London Major Baseball League, 1937
• 29 May 1937: The Daily Mirror publishes an article stating that “H. Nishikawa, of Kobe University, Japan, has signed on the dotted line for Corinthians […] Nishikawa, twenty-five years of age, is an infielder of repute, having represented Japan against the U.S.A.” The Daily News also reports Nishikawa’s signing, describing him as a “Japanese international” [player].
• 30 May 1937: Nishikawa plays in the Corinthians vs. Pirates game (Corinthians lose 7—9). There are match reports in the Daily Herald the following day and the Echo, Mail, and Chronicle on 4 June 1937. In the Daily Herald, Nishikawa is described as “an international player, of Kobe University”. The Echo, Mail, and Chronicle refers to Nishikawa as “Mishikawa”—this is because of a misprint in the match programme. Several other newspapers made the same mistake in the early part of Nishikawa’s time at the Corinthians.
• 6 June 1937: Nishikawa pitches for Corinthians in the Corinthians vs. Nunhead game (Corinthians win 6—3); there are match reports in The Daily Herald the following day and The South London Observer on 11 June 1937; in the Observer report, Nishikawa is described as “star pitcher of Kobe University”. This is the first match that Corinthians have ever won. Nishikawa had 12 strikeouts.
• 13 June 1937: Nishikawa pitches for the Corinthians in the West Ham vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians lose 9—1). There is a match report in the Echo, Mail, and Chronicle on 18 June 1937. Nishikawa is again called “Mishikawa” in the report. This is the first time that Nishikawa faces off against West Ham pitcher Jerry Strong.
• 27 June 1937: Nishikawa pitches for Corinthians in the Pirates vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians win 7—17); there were match reports in The Daily Mirror and The News Chronicle the following day.
• 5 July 1937: Nishikawa pitches for the Corinthians in the Corinthians vs. Nunhead game (Corinthians win 16—3). There is a match report in the Daily Herald the following day.
• 11 July 1937: Nishikawa pitches for the Corinthians in the Romford Wasps vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians win 18—10). No match report in the newspapers, but the result is listed.
• 17 July 1937: Corinthians play Catford Saints and win 8—5; no mention of Nishikawa in the match report by name, but the pitching of both teams is described as “erratic” in the newspapers the next day.
• 18 July 1937: Corinthians play Nunhead and win 18—3; no mention of Nishikawa in the match report by name. Corinthians are now third in the league.
• 19 July 1937: Nunhead withdraws from the league.
• 24 July 1937: Nishikawa pitches for Corinthians in the Catford Saints vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians win 8—24); there are match reports in The Daily Mirror and The News Chronicle on 26 July 1937 and the South London Observer on 30 July 1937 (Nishikawa was headline news in the latter). This win puts the Corinthians at the top of the league (briefly). When Nishikawa started pitching for them, they were bottom of the league.
• 25 July 1937: Nishikawa pitches for Corinthians in the Romford Wasps vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians lose 3—2); there are match reports in The Daily Mirror and The News Chronicle on 26 July 1937. Romford Wasps go top of the league.
• 1 August 1937: Corinthians play West Ham (Corinthians win 3—1); Nishikawa bats but does not pitch for Corinthians; there is a match report in The Daily Mirror on 2 August 1937.
• 8 August 1937: Nishikawa bats but does not pitch for Corinthians in the West Ham vs. Corinthians game (Corinthians lose 5—3); there are match reports in The Daily Mirror the following day and the Echo Mail on 13 August 1937.
• 22 August 1937: Corinthians play the Pirates and lose 8—10; no mention of Nishikawa in the match report by name but he is listed as a leftfield player in the match programme. This appears to be the last game of the season. On 21 August, the Daily Mirror reports that American players in the league will start returning home the following Wednesday (25 August 1937).
• The London Major Baseball League collapses at the end of the 1937 Season
“H. Nishikawa” Timeline II: London Senior Baseball League and International Professional Baseball League, 1938
• 22 May 1938: Nishikawa pitches for the Romford Wasps in an away cup tie against the De Havilland Comets (Romford win 5—11). There is a match report in the News Chronicle the following day. Nishikawa had 15 strikeouts.
• 6 June 1938: Nishikawa pitches for the Romford Wasps in the Ford Sports vs. Romford Wasps game (Romford win 4—14). There is a match report in The People the following day.
• 14 June 1938: Newcastle Evening Chronicle reports that Nishikawa (named in the article as ‘Nippy Jap’) will pitch for Hull Giants in its International Professional Baseball League (IPBL) match against Newcastle the following day. The IPBL, never on a very solid foundation, collapses a week later, Nishikawa ‘returns’ to the London Senior League the Romford Wasps (he was probably pulling double duty, playing for both the Giants and the Wasps, rather than leaving the Wasps for the Giants and then returning to the Wasps after the IPBL collapsed).
• 2 July 1938: The Hull Daily Mail reports that Nishikawa “a Japanese student resident in London” will pitch for Romford Wasps in an away cup tie against Hull at Craven Park (Hull).
• 8 July 1938: The Hull Daily Mail again reports that Nishikawa “a Japanese student” will pitch for Romford Wasps in the cup tie.
• 9 July 1938: Nishikawa pitches for the Romford Wasps in an away cup tie against Hull (Romford lose 4—6). There are match reports in the Hull Daily Mail that same day and again on 11 July 1938. Nishikawa had 11 strikeouts. He is again referred to as “…a Japanese student from Kobe University”. Jerry Strong was the pitcher for Hull in this game.
• 24 July 1938: Nishikawa pitches for only three innings in the Romford Wasps game against The Old Josephians (Romford win 22—7). There is a match report in the Croydon Times on 30 July 1938.
• 31 July 1938: Nishikawa pitches for the Romford Wasps in the De Havilland Comets vs Romford Wasps game (Romford lose 9—6). There is a match report in the City And East London Observer on 6 August 1938. Going into the game, Romford was top of the league but fell to second due to this loss.
• 7 August 1938: Romford Wasps play a friendly game against a “Royal Canadian Naval XI” and win 6—5; the result is reported in the newspapers the next day but there is no match report.
• 21 August 1938: Nishikawa plays in the “London v America” game at Romford (America wins 3—12). Nishikawa scores one of London’s three runs. There are match reports in the Daily News on 22 August 1938 and the South London Observer on 26 August 1938. Nishikawa was due to pitch this game but, in the event, only batted due to a ‘strained muscle’ (Daily Express, 22 August 1938).
• 28 August 1938: Romford Wasps beat DeHavilland Comets 11—6; the two teams are now joint top of the league. There is a match report in the Daily News the following day; there is no mention of Nishikawa in the report.
• 18 September 1938: Romford Wasps play DeHavilland Comets for the delayed deciding match of the 1938 London Senior Baseball League season; Romford wins 7—4 and ends the season as champions. There are news reports in the Daily News on 19 September 1938 and the Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette on 23 September 1938. There is no mention of Nishikawa in the reports. The match report in the Gazette is notable for displaying typical English prejudice against baseball, declaring it to have too much barracking (insulting of players by other players) and too few runs.