I will admit that this is probably the longest it’s taken me to read through a book from start to finish. But don’t let that lead you to believe that it was a boring or hard read. Far from it. In fact, as I have said on other occasions, legendary pitcher Yutaka Enatsu is among the top three pitchers in team history, and definitely has among the more interesting stories of anyone who has played for the Tigers. This book, which was written in 2001 (some 25 years after he left the Tigers, and eight years after he was arrested for possession of stimulant narcotics), is a look back on the life of a man who was misunderstood, mistreated, and misled.
Without getting into too many details (which can be seen in his player profile here on H-TEN), this book takes a look at Enatsu’s childhood, baseball beginnings, troubled junior high and high school baseball careers, and his entry into the Hanshin Tigers organization. Once it reaches his professional playing days, the book splits into short sections, alternating between co-author Masaru Hatano recounting games and events historically, and Enatsu talking about things from his personal perspective. The result is a perfect blend of verified fact and a look into the mind and heart of a genius. We get to see which teammates and managers helped Enatsu along, and which hindered him and/or rubbed him the wrong way. Suffice it to say that Enatsu did not have many positive relationships with his managers. (See 1973 punching incident, in which Enatsu was complicit.)
To be completely honest, the parts of the book that interested me the most were of his playing days with the other teams he was part of: the Nankai Hawks, Hiroshima Carp, Nippon Ham Fighters, and Seibu Lions. Enatsu was one of the best pitchers of his generation, though in these circles, he is mostly known as the ace of the Tiger staff. It is refreshing to read about the instrumental part he played in revolutionizing the game by pioneering the closer role (with player-manager Katsuya Nomura), as well as the teams that he was able to help propel to championships.
This is easily one of the better “player-written” books that I have read since I decided to jump down the NPB rabbit hole four years ago.