▁no ▁longer ▁had ▁the ▁success ▁he ▁had ▁shown ▁during ▁his ▁younger ▁years . ▁The ▁team ▁wanted ▁Nag ash ima ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁as ▁manager ▁after ▁T ets u har u ▁K aw ak ami , ▁who ▁had ▁led ▁the ▁team ▁for ▁ 1 4 ▁years , ▁and ▁Nag ash ima ▁double d ▁as ▁a ▁player ▁and ▁a ▁coach ▁in ▁his ▁final ▁seasons . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁Ch un ichi ▁Drag ons ▁won ▁the ▁league ▁championship , ▁breaking ▁the ▁nine - year ▁stre ak ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Gi ants , ▁and ▁Nag ash ima ▁played ▁his ▁final ▁game ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 4 ▁against ▁the ▁Drag ons , ▁ground ing ▁out ▁to ▁short ▁for ▁a ▁double - play ▁in ▁his ▁final ▁at - bat . ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁an ▁elaborate ▁ret irement ▁ceremony . ▁ ▁Manager ial ▁career ▁Nag ash ima ' s ▁appointment ▁as ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Y omi uri ▁Gi ants ▁was ▁announced ▁almost ▁immediately ▁after ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁Nag ash ima ▁was ▁given ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁and ▁he ▁immediately ▁rid ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁of ▁the ▁tact ical , ▁small ▁ball ▁style ▁left ▁by ▁his ▁prede cess or ▁T ets u har u ▁K aw ak ami , ▁re lying ▁instead ▁on ▁superior ▁hitting ▁and ▁pitch ing ▁to ▁carry ▁the ▁team . ▁He ▁also ▁rec ru ited ▁third ▁bas eman ▁Dave y ▁Johnson ▁from ▁the ▁maj ors , ▁who ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁ever ▁non -