Koji Akiyama, who won this year's Japan Series before leaving his post as Fukuoka Softbank Hawks skipper, was named the winner of the Matsutaro Shoriki Award for the third time on Wednesday.
Akiyama won his first Shoriki as a star outfielder for the Pacific League's Seibu Lions in 1991 when he used to do somersaults at home plate and his second as Hawks manager after winning the 2011 Series. Akiyama announced last month that this would be his final season with Softbank.
"It was a good year," said Akiyama, who was elected into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in January. "I thought I was through with baseball, so I didn't imagine I would win this.