title: 1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season
text: # 1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season
  
  The 1961 Nippon Professional Baseball season was the twelfth season of operation of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
  
  ## Regular season
  
  ### Standings
  
  Central League regular season standings :
  
  | Team | G | W | L | T | Pct. | GB |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Yomiuri Giants | 130 | 71 | 53 | 6 | .569 | — |
  | Chunichi Dragons | 130 | 72 | 56 | 2 | .562 | 1.0 |
  | Kokutetsu Swallows | 130 | 67 | 60 | 3 | .527 | 5.5 |
  | Hanshin Tigers | 130 | 60 | 67 | 3 | .473 | 12.5 |
  | Hiroshima Carp | 130 | 58 | 67 | 5 | .465 | 13.5 |
  | Taiyo Whales | 130 | 50 | 75 | 5 | .404 | 21.5 |
  
  Pacific League regular season standings :
  
  | Team | G | W | L | T | Pct. | GB |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Nankai Hawks | 140 | 85 | 49 | 6 | .629 | — |
  | Toei Flyers | 140 | 83 | 52 | 5 | .611 | 2.5 |
  | Nishitetsu Lions | 140 | 81 | 56 | 3 | .589 | 5.5 |
  | Daimai Orions | 140 | 72 | 66 | 2 | .521 | 15.0 |
  | Hankyu Braves | 140 | 53 | 84 | 3 | .389 | 33.5 |
  | Kintetsu Buffaloes | 140 | 36 | 103 | 1 | .261 | 51.5 |
  
  ## Postseason
  
  ### Japan Series
  
  CL Yomiuri Giants (4) vs. PL Nankai Hawks (2)
  
  | Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | October 22 | Yomiuri Giants – 0, Nankai Hawks – 6 | Osaka Stadium | 2:19 | 30,720 |
  | 2 | October 24 | Yomiuri Giants – 6, Nankai Hawks – 4 | Osaka Stadium | 2:41 | 26,845 |
  | 3 | October 26 | Nankai Hawks – 4, Yomiuri Giants – 5 | Korakuen Stadium | 2:23 | 30,878 |
  | 4 | October 29 | Nankai Hawks – 3, Yomiuri Giants – 4 | Korakuen Stadium | 2:18 | 33,186 |
  | 5 | October 30 | Nankai Hawks – 6, Yomiuri Giants – 3 | Korakuen Stadium | 2:28 | 30,135 |
  | 6 | November 1 | Yomiuri Giants – 3, Nankai Hawks – 2 | Osaka Stadium | 2:45 | 21,565 |
  
  ## League leaders
  
  ### Central League
  
  Batting leaders :
  
  | Stat | Player | Team | Total |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Batting average | Shigeo Nagashima | Yomiuri Giants | .353 |
  | Home runs | Shigeo Nagashima | Yomiuri Giants | 28 |
  | Runs batted in | Takeshi Kuwata | Taiyo Whales | 94 |
  | Runs | Toshio Naka | Chunichi Dragons | 88 |
  | Hits | Shigeo Nagashima | Yomiuri Giants | 158 |
  | Stolen bases | Kazuhiko Kondo | Taiyo Whales | 35 |
  
  Pitching leaders :
  
  | Stat | Player | Team | Total |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Wins | Hiroshi Gondo | Chunichi Dragons | 35 |
  | Losses | Masaaki Koyama | Hanshin Tigers | 22 |
  | Earned run average | Hiroshi Gondo | Chunichi Dragons | 1.70 |
  | Strikeouts | Hiroshi Gondo | Chunichi Dragons | 310 |
  | Innings pitched | Hiroshi Gondo | Chunichi Dragons | 4291⁄3 |
  
  ### Pacific League
  
  Batting leaders :
  
  | Stat | Player | Team | Total |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Batting average | Isao Harimoto | Toei Flyers | .336 |
  | Home runs | Katsuya Nomura Yoshihiro Nakata | Nankai Hawks Hankyu Braves | 29 |
  | Runs batted in | Kazuhiro Yamauchi | Daimai Orions | 112 |
  | Runs | Akio Saionji | Toei Flyers | 97 |
  | Hits | Kihachi Enomoto | Daimai Orions | 180 |
  | Stolen bases | Yoshinori Hirose | Nankai Hawks | 42 |
  
  Pitching leaders :
  
  | Stat | Player | Team | Total |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Wins | Kazuhisa Inao | Nishitetsu Lions | 42 |
  | Losses | Toshiaki Tokuhisa | Kintetsu Buffaloes | 24 |
  | Earned run average | Kazuhisa Inao | Nishitetsu Lions | 1.69 |
  | Strikeouts | Kazuhisa Inao | Nishitetsu Lions | 353 |
  | Innings pitched | Kazuhisa Inao | Nishitetsu Lions | 404 |
  
  ## Awards
  
  * Most Valuable Player
     * Shigeo Nagashima, Yomiuri Giants (CL)
     * Katsuya Nomura, Nankai Hawks (PL)
  * Rookie of the Year
     * Hiroshi Gondo, Chunichi Dragons (CL)
     * Toshiaki Tokuhisa, Kintetsu Buffaloes (PL)
  * Eiji Sawamura Award
     * Hiroshi Gondo, Chunichi Dragons (CL)
  
  Central League Best Nine Award winners :
  
  | Position | Player | Team |
  | - | - | - |
  | Pitcher | Hiroshi Gondo | Chunichi Dragons |
  | Catcher | Masahiko Mori | Yomiuri Giants |
  | First baseman | Katsumi Fujimoto | Hanshin Tigers |
  | Second baseman | Masataka Tsuchiya | Kokutetsu Swallows |
  | Third baseman | Shigeo Nagashima | Yomiuri Giants |
  | Shortstop | Akiteru Kono | Chunichi Dragons |
  | Outfielder | Kazuhiko Kondo | Taiyo Whales |
  | Outfielder | Shinichi Eto | Chunichi Dragons |
  | Outfielder | Katsuji Morinaga | Hiroshima Carp |
  
  Pacific League Best Nine Award winners :
  
  | Position | Player | Team |
  | - | - | - |
  | Pitcher | Kazuhisa Inao | Nishitetsu Lions |
  | Catcher | Katsuya Nomura | Nankai Hawks |
  | First baseman | Kihachi Enomoto | Daimai Orions |
  | Second baseman | Nobuyasu Morishita | Nankai Hawks |
  | Third baseman | Futoshi Nakanishi | Nishitetsu Lions |
  | Shortstop | Yasumitsu Toyoda | Nishitetsu Lions |
  | Outfielder | Kazuhiro Yamauchi | Daimai Orions |
  | Outfielder | Kenjiro Tamiya | Daimai Orions |
  | Outfielder | Isao Harimoto | Toei Flyers |
  