Photo: 学習研究社 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, the nickname alone sold me: "Kaido," the Wonder Boy. I love that Futoshi Nakanishi wasn't some towering giant, just a compact, barrel-chested kid out of Takamatsu who somehow generated this absurd, almost cartoonish power for the postwar Nishitetsu Lions. There's something so romantic about that era of Japanese baseball, scrappy, hungry, rebuilding, and he was the cannon at the heart of it. What gets me is the second act: a lot of monster sluggers can't explain a swing to save their life, but he became this beloved hitting guru who actually shaped younger batters into stars. Pure baseball lifer. He left us in 2023, but a guy who hit the ball that hard and taught it that well doesn't really fade out, he echoes.
Overview
Futoshi Nakanishi (April 11, 1933 – May 11, 2023) was a Japanese professional baseball player and coach from Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. Standing 173 cm tall, he was celebrated as one of the power hitters of postwar Japanese professional baseball, most notably with the Nishitetsu Lions. After retiring as a player, he went on to a distinguished career as a batting coach and instructor, shaping the development of numerous professional hitters. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame of Japan.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Futoshi Nakanishi
- Name (Japanese)
- 中西太
- Reading
- なかにし ふとし
- Born
- April 11, 1933 – May 11, 2023
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Rooster (酉)
- Origin
- Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan
- Height
- 173cm
- Occupation
- Baseball player / Professional baseball player / Baseball coach
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Baseball Hall of Fame (Japan)
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E8%A5%BF%E5%A4%AA
Frequently asked questions
When was Futoshi Nakanishi born?
April 11, 1933 – May 11, 2023.
Where is Futoshi Nakanishi from?
Futoshi Nakanishi is from Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan.
What does Futoshi Nakanishi do?
Futoshi Nakanishi works as Baseball player, Professional baseball player, Baseball coach.
How tall is Futoshi Nakanishi?
Futoshi Nakanishi is 173cm.
Baseball player — see all → · Professional baseball player — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.