Japan's Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on Friday announced that Kazuyoshi Tatsunami is among nine new players on the ballot to select next year's class to the Hall of Fame.
Tatsunami, an infielder who played his entire career with the Central League's Chunichi Dragons, retired with 2,480 hits, eighth on the all-time list, and holds the record for career doubles, with 487. Also on the players division ballot, voted on by veteran members of the media, is Akira Eto, who hit 364 home runs in a career spent mostly with the CL's Hiroshima Carp and Yomiuri Giants.
Recently retired Rakuten Eagles manager Senichi Hoshino will once more appear on the experts division ballot, which is voted on by a group of roughly 50 living members of the Hall of Fame.
The results of the balloting will be announced on Jan. 23.