is a former Japanese pitcher regarded as one of the best Japanese strikeout pitchers of all-time. In , he recorded 401 strikeouts, which is still the world record. Enatsu was a bit player in the Black Mist Scandal which embroiled Japanese baseball from 1969 to 1971. In November 1970 he received a stern warning from the Central League president due to "involvement with persons in baseball gambling." He recorded 9 consecutive strikeouts in one of the All-Star games, and 15 consecutive strikeouts in three of the All-Star games between and 1971. His consecutive strikeouts were broken up by Katsuya Nomura. The two records are still unbroken. A starting pitcher for the first part of his career, in 1977 he became a relief specialist, altogether accumulating 193 saves. While playing with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in 1979, Enatsu was the Central League MVP, as he compiled a 9–5 record with a 2.67 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 104-2/3 innings. That year the Carp won the Central League pennant and the Japan Series. In 1981, with the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Enatsu was the Pacific League MVP, garnering 25 saves and a 2.82 ERA, as the Fighters won the Pacific League pennant. Enatsu joined the Milwaukee Brewers for spring training in 1985 at age 36 in an attempt to play Major League Baseball. Enatsu finished spring training with a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings and was among the team's final cuts before the season. In popular culture Enatsu is a major shadow-figure in Yōko Ogawa's novel The Housekeeper and the Professor (Hakase no ai shita sūshiki, 博士の愛した数式, 2003). References External links Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference NPB History (Japanese) 1948 births Living people Sportspeople from Amagasaki Baseball people from Nara Prefecture Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Hanshin Tigers players Hiroshima Toyo Carp players Nankai Hawks players Nippon Ham Fighters players Seibu Lions players Japanese expatriate baseball players in the United States Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Award winners