I want to hold a ball one more time

Perhaps it is, in a sense, cruel to summarize this player's life as a "tragedy."
The 1934 Japan-US baseball series. The Japanese team played a total of 16 games against the American team across the country. Eiji Sawamura's brilliant pitching at Kusanagi Stadium is still talked about today, but despite their valiant efforts, the Japanese team ended up losing every game.
The difference in strength between Japan and the United States was clear. The Americans hit a total of 47 home runs in 16 games. Meanwhile, Japan hit only 3 home runs. It is no wonder they were mocked as "babies" by the Americans.
The three home runs by the Japanese team were hit by Toshiharu Inokawa, Jimmy Horio, and Usaburo Shintomi.
Inokawa and Jimmy Horio were large players for that time. Both would later go on to have successful careers in professional baseball. On the other hand, Shintomi was 163cm tall. Although he was small, he captivated many fans with his full swing that used his entire body.
Usaburo Shintomi. He appeared in the Koshien tournament five times with Kokura Technical High School, and after graduation, he joined the Moji Railway Bureau. In 1934, he participated in the formation of the Dai Nippon Tokyo Baseball Club and accompanied them on their first tour of the United States. It is said that he had a cheerful personality and was a mood maker for the team.
Shintomi and his teammates endured poor conditions and finished the US tour with good results. Their hard work paid off, and in 1936, professional baseball finally began.
However, Shintomi was not there. Before he could see the start of professional baseball, he was sent to the front.
In February 1939, he was discharged. He worked as a coach at his alma mater, Kokura Technical, but on October 27, he finally knocked on the door of professional baseball. He did not join the Giants, but the Hankyu team.
Because he joined late in the season that year, he only appeared in 6 games, mainly as a pinch hitter, but the following year he established himself as the regular first baseman.
However, he finished with a batting average of .153. His signature hitting had lost much of its former brilliance. No matter how talented Shintomi was, a four-year blank was simply too much.
The following year, 1941, he became a regular in the outfield. Shintomi had played as an outfielder during his time with the Dai Nippon Tokyo Baseball Club. The view from the outfield brought back old memories, and Shintomi regained his former brilliance.
He had a league-leading 12th best batting average of .232 and 3 home runs. His batting average was third on the team, behind Takashi Nakajima and Den Yamada. He led the team in doubles, triples, and home runs, establishing himself as a key player and contributing significantly to the team's rise to second place. Furthermore, Shintomi recorded a batting average of .325 in the autumn league, winning the batting title. On November 10, late in the season, in a game against Taiyo at Korakuen Stadium, he went on a rampage, hitting multiple home runs off Saburo Asaoka and driving in 5 runs. Expectations were high that he would set even more records the following year.
However, Shintomi was sent to the front again after this season. And as a result, he never returned.
One day in Burma, some time after he was sent to the front, the unit heard the sound of a cow coming from deep in the mountains and set off to find food. It is said that about seven of them were walking in a single file. Even though it was for food, they could not let their guard down. They continued to walk slowly, muffling their footsteps.
Suddenly, a roar that seemed to pierce their eardrums echoed with a tremor. The lower half of one soldier's body had been blown away in an instant, and he was lying on the ground. It was Shintomi. Shintomi had stepped on a landmine. It is said that Shintomi was walking fourth or fifth in line, but it was still incredibly unlucky that he was the one who stepped on the mine.
Shintomi was carried on the back of a fellow soldier. It is said that while being carried, he kept muttering to himself like this.
"It's a pity."
What was Shintomi seeing as he lost consciousness from excessive blood loss? He passed away later that same day.
This happened on August 1, 1945. It was just two weeks before the end of the war.
After the war, Shintomi's unit returned to Japan.
"Excuse me. Did my husband really die in the war?"
At the words of Shintomi's wife, the soldiers could not meet her eyes and could only nod.
Perhaps it is, in a sense, cruel to summarize this player's life as a "tragedy."
It is said that Shintomi often confided this to his comrades on the battlefield.
"I want to hold a ball one more time."
That wish faded away into the land of Burma.