Choji Murata

Choji Murata (村田 兆治, born November 27, 1949, in Toyota District, Hiroshima) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Tokyo/Lotte Orions from 1968 to 1990.

Choji Murata
Choji Murata in his last game as a professional player in Kawasaki Stadium
Pitcher
Born: (1949-11-27) November 27, 1949 Toyota District, Hiroshima, Japan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
NPB debut
1968, for the Tokyo Orions
Last NPB appearance
1990, for the Lotte Orions
NPB statistics
Win–loss	215–177
ERA	3.24
Strikeouts	2363
Teams
As player Tokyo Orions/Lotte Orions (1968–1990) As coach Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (1995–1997)
Career highlights and awards
3x ERA champion
Member of the Japanese
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2005

Murata led the Pacific League in Earned run average in 1975 and 1976. In 1976 he won 21 games, the only time he won 20 games or more in his career.

Murata missed all of the 1983 season and most of the 1984 season. Rebounding in 1985 with a 17-5 record, he won the Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award.

In 1989 he again led the Pacific League in ERA.

Retiring in 1990 with 200+ career wins, Murata became a member of Meikyukai. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

In 2008, Murata served on the Eiji Sawamura Award selection committee.