Hiromitsu Ochiai Lecture Tour: Shigekazu Mori and Suguru Egawa to Guest in Tokyo! Guests for Other Nationwide Locations Also Decided!!

Hiromitsu Ochiai's lecture series, 'Hiromitsu Ochiai Lecture 2026,' will be held at various locations across Japan, starting with the Tokyo performance at Nippon Seinenkan Hall on Monday, July 20 (a national holiday). Mr. Ochiai became a professional baseball player at the age of 25 after playing for the industrial league team Toshiba Fuchu, when the Lotte Orions selected him in the third round of the 1978 draft. In 1981, his third year, he became the batting champion for the first time, and the following year, in 1982, he became the youngest player in history to win the Triple Crown. Not stopping there, he won the Triple Crown for two consecutive years in 1985 and 1986, achieving a record-breaking three Triple Crowns in total. Immediately after that, at the end of 1986, he was traded to the Chunichi Dragons. He contributed to the Dragons' league championship in the 1988 season. In 1989, he became the first player to win the RBI title in both leagues, and in 1990, he became the first to win the home run title in both leagues as well. From 1994, he moved to the Yomiuri Giants, and in 1997 to the Nippon-Ham Fighters, before retiring after the 1998 season. Returning to the baseball world as the manager of the Chunichi Dragons from the 2004 season, he achieved a league championship in his first year. During his eight years as manager of Chunichi, he led the team to four league championships, one Japan Series title, and an 'A-class' (top 3) finish in every single season. He evolved the Dragons into a consistent winning team and built a golden era through his unique 'Ore-ryu' (My Way) style. In 2011, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in recognition of his significant contributions to the development of Japanese baseball. While he has written many books about baseball, he started his YouTube channel, 'Hiromitsu Ochiai's Ore-ryu Channel,' after seeing incorrect information circulating online and deciding he wanted to speak in his own words. Sharing baseball stories based on his own experiences, he has gained support across generations, and the channel celebrates its 5th anniversary this April. On YouTube, he speaks not only about Japanese professional baseball but also about MLB and recently the WBC. Fans are eager to hear what he will share at the lecture on July 20, just before the All-Star game when the pennant race is at its midway point. Shigekazu Mori and Suguru Egawa are scheduled to appear as special guests at the lecture. Mr. Mori was drafted first by the Seibu Lions in 1978. He won 10 games in 1980 and 14 in 1981, serving as a pillar of the pitching staff. After retiring in 1988, he served as a second-team pitching coach for the Seibu Lions from 1989 and also coached for the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Yokohama BayStars. In 2004, at the request of Mr. Ochiai, he became the first-team pitching coach and was promoted to head coach in 2010, fighting alongside manager Ochiai. Mr. Egawa was called a 'monster' since his high school days at Sakushin Gakuin and was the ace of the Yomiuri Giants from 1979 to 1987. He recorded 135 wins over nine years. Since retiring, he has not yet served as a manager or coach but has been involved in baseball as a commentator. Like Mr. Ochiai, Mr. Egawa has also opened his own YouTube channel, 'Suguru Egawa's Takasare,' where he discusses baseball and hosts talks with former professional players. Born in 1953 (Ochiai), 1954 (Mori), and 1955 (Egawa), high expectations are set for the deep conversations unique to their generation. Tickets are currently available for advance lottery reservation. Please check the official website for details. July 20 (Mon, Holiday) 13:00 - Tokyo, Nippon Seinenkan Hall Guests: Shigekazu Mori, Suguru Egawa September 21 (Mon, Holiday) 13:00 - Hiroshima, JMS Aster Plaza Middle Hall Guests: Shigekazu Mori, Mitsuo Tatsukawa, Yoshihiko Takahashi September 26 (Sat) 13:00 - Miyagi, Hitachi Systems Hall Sendai Theater Hall Guests: Shigekazu Mori, Masataka Nashida, Norihiro Nakamura October 25 (Sun) 13:00 - Hyogo, Amashin Archaic Hall Octo Guests: Shigekazu Mori, Masataka Nashida, Norihiro Nakamura