Hideki Irabu

Hideki Irabu (伊良部 秀輝, Irabu Hideki, May 5, 1969 – July 24, 2011) was a Japanese professional baseball player of Japanese and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.

Early life

Irabu was born on May 5, 1969 in Hirara (present: Miyakojima),Okinawa, Japan then administered by the government of the United States. His father was an American service member whom Hideki never knew. Hideki's mother, Kazue, a native of Miyako, later married a restaurateur, Ichiro Irabu, from Osaka. Irabu raised Hideki as his son in Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture.

Career

Japanese career (1988–1996)

Irabu pitched for the Lotte Orions, who later became the Chiba Lotte Marines, of the Pacific League from 1988 to 1996. He was known as a high-speed pitcher and in 1993, he threw a 158 km/h (98 mph) fastball against Kazuhiro Kiyohara of the Seibu Lions. This was the fastest clocked pitch in all of Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB) until 2005, when the record was broken by Marc Kroon of the Yokohama BayStars. It remains the Pacific League record.