Softbank Hawks On the 3rd, Akira Nakamura infielder (36) announced that he will retire from active play at the end of this season. He will make the announcement at a retirement press conference held that day. He joined Softbank Hawks in the third round of the 2007 high school draft after graduating from Teikyo High School, and this is his 19th year as a professional. So far this season, he has batted just .129 in 23 games and was removed from the active roster on June 9.

Last year, despite being told by manager Kokubo that he would be used primarily as a pinch hitter, he appeared in 116 games. On August 26th against Rakuten Eagles (in Hirosaki), he hit his third home run of the season, becoming the 139th player in history to reach 1500 hit. Not only did he fill the void left by Kondo, who was sidelined for a long period due to back surgery, he also had a batting average of .571 with runners in scoring position as a pinch hitter. He contributed to Pacific League consecutive championships.

In November of the same year, he underwent surgery for a lumbar disc herniation, and this season he rejoined the first team on March 21st, before the season began. He continued his training even after being removed from the roster in June, and just on the 28th, in a farm fielder game against Oisix (at Tamasta Chikugo), he hit a game-winning walk-off bases loaded in the 9th inning. This is an unusual decision to make in the middle of the season, but an announcement is expected soon. He was also the second oldest position player on the team, after 37-year-old Yanagita.

After securing a starting position for the first time in 2013, he posted a batting average of .300 or higher for three consecutive years. In 2014, he led the league in hits for the first time with 176 hit, earning his first hit. He overcame challenges such as autonomic nervous system dysfunction and pain in both knees in 2019 to continue competing at the highest level. Playing first base outfield, he won the Golden Glove Award for four consecutive years starting in 2020 as a first baseman.Many younger players looked up to Nakamura for his earnestness and dedication to practice. He is a legendary player who will go down in the history of the ever-victorious The Hawks. He is now bringing his long and distinguished baseball career to a close.

◆Akira Nakamura: Born November 5, 1989, in Saitama Prefecture. Age 36. At Teikyo High School, he batted fourth from his second year of high school and participated in Koshien for three consecutive seasons. He hit a total of 60 Home Run in high school. He joined Softbank Hawks in the third round of the 2007 high school draft. He made his first-team debut in 2011. In 2014, he won the most hit title with 176 hit. From 2020, he won the Golden Glove Award for first base for four consecutive years. He has played in a total of 1654 games, with 1520 At Bat 5550 hit for a batting average of .274, 69 Home Run, 555 RBI, and 44 stolen base. 175 cm, 81 kg. Left-handed pitcher, left-handed batter. Estimated annual salary: 120 million yen.