<figure id="attachment_386041" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386041" style="width: 2991px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4a447e3a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/dfe2556776f51aed1045e58f880a1537.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-386041" class="wp-caption-text">The team was unable to participate in the six university leagues last fall, but played a very active role in the spring season (Photo by Jiji Press)</figcaption></figure>
<p> While the Paris Olympics, where the public has been enthralled by the success of the Japanese athletes day after day, has entered its final stages, the summer Koshien (the National High School Baseball Championships) opened on August 7. On the other hand, the summer Koshien (the Japanese summer baseball tournament) opened on August 7. Autumn draft candidates and other unsung gems have been thrilling the spectators who have visited Koshien every day.</p>
<p> One of the candidates is Shogo Kiyohara, 21, a senior at Keio University, the eldest son of Kazuhiro Kiyohara, 56, who became a big star at Koshien during his days at PL Gakuen and went on to play for the Seibu Giants and other teams after joining the professional baseball team. In the Tokyo Rokugaku University Spring League, he started 13 games and batted .269 with 52 hits, 14 runs, 7 runs, and no home runs. He was the first first baseman to be selected as one of the best nine players in the league, and his rapid growth is attracting attention.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> In addition to his father&#8217;s strong physique (186 cm, 90 kg), he also has great looks. Even though he stayed away from baseball in junior high and high school, he joined the baseball team at university. In the three years leading up to last fall, he had only nine at-bats and only one hit, almost completely out of the lineup. However, as a result of his natural athleticism and weight training, he was able to secure the position of &#8220;No. 4, first base,&#8221; which had been his father&#8217;s position from high school to the pros, in the Tokyo Six University League this past spring. As a result, he secured the No. 4 position in the Tokyo Rokugaku University League this spring.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Some say that he is not yet good enough to be a professional player, but if he becomes a professional player, he will be the talk of the town. If he is nurtured properly, he has the potential to make it big in the pros, and there are probably teams that would pick him if he is a lower-level player or in training. In particular, Seibu, where his father started his professional career, is currently ranked last in the Pacific League in terms of batting average. They should acquire Kiyohara Jr. to increase their ability to attract players.</span></p>
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<p> If Kiyohara Jr. is selected in the fall draft and goes on to become a professional baseball player, it is likely that the media will launch a fierce offensive to cover him, but if that happens, it has already been confirmed that the media will be &#8220;monopolized by one station.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Why that station&#39;s monopoly?"></div>
<p><span class="strongInContent">The stations will be desperate to make a dent. But I don&#8217;t think any station other than ours will stand a chance. Keio University has particularly strong ties with alumni compared to other universities, and our fourth-year announcer Kenta Yamamoto (26) and first-year announcer Naofumi Kajitani (23) are both senior members of the Keio University baseball team. In addition, Yamamoto was a first baseman like Shogo.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> In addition, Kajitani was a drinking buddy of Shogo&#8217;s since they were both on the same team. When other announcers and staff from other departments would ask, &#8220;What kind of person is Kiyohara&#8217;s son? I can say, &#8216;If I invite him, he will come over, so let&#8217;s have a drink together next time. They are close enough to say, &#8216;If I invite him, he&#8217;ll come over.</span></p>
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<p> Shogo&#8217;s father, Kazuhiro, was convicted of violating the Methamphetamine Control Law on June 15, 2008, and his stay of execution expired. Nevertheless, the effects of the case are still being felt, as evidenced by the fact that he was not invited to the first Seibu alumni game held in March of this year, despite the fact that he was once a major star in the team&#8217;s history. Despite this situation, the relationship with Fuji is said to be very good.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> In June 2008, right after his probation was lifted, he made his first TV appearance after his probation on the CS station Fuji TV One&#8217;s &#8220;Professional Baseball News 2020. In July, he made his return to terrestrial television in a Fuji Television talk show, &#8220;Ishibashi, kaimoku wo bonberu,&#8221; which was hosted by Takaaki Ishibashi (62) of Tunnels fame.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Furthermore, in July &#8217;21, he was appointed as a commentator on the CS station Fuji TV TWO for the first time in 12 years. Since they have such a connection, it is likely that a father-son collaboration on Fuji will be realized as soon as possible if his son becomes a professional,&#8221; said an entertainment reporter.</span></p>
<p> The draft meeting to be held on October 24 is likely to be a &#8220;fateful day&#8221; for the Kiyoharas.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" The &quot;Kiyohara father and son&quot; as seen by this magazine"></div>
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<figure id="attachment_386050" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386050" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="eb88ef67"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/6981d10615d493476f79eb9d555ff2f6.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-386050" class="wp-caption-text">Shogo is bewildered by Kiyohara&#8217;s strong hug. He was active in football at the time (June 26, &#8217;20 issue).</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_386051" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386051" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="31d1ffbb"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/1bd6b652e0cff1dcd97f7c63f853e55a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-386051" class="wp-caption-text"> His second son, Katsuji, who won the Koshien championship at Keio High School last summer, was a member of the hardball team at the time. I was coaching him on his days off from practice (June 26, &#8217;20 issue).</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_386052" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386052" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4b9fc3f2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/83bd46e8425e13b01c96ac058e22ffcf.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-386052" class="wp-caption-text"> On June 4, the anniversary of Kiyohara becoming the youngest player in history to hit home run No. 100, the family celebrated with a dinner party (June 26, &#8217;20 issue).</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_386046" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386046" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="78dba02f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/f0b8c34422d4cee1213b4be0f7cf8c07.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-386046" class="wp-caption-text"> Shogo boarding the bus after the game. He has become a completely handsome man (May 24, &#8217;24 issue).</figcaption></figure>
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 Sota Shima (2nd and 3rd), Keisuke Nishi (4th)

 Among this year's college student draft candidates, Shogo, Kazuhiro Kiyohara's eldest son, is attracting a lot of attention. If Shogo does enter the pro ranks, it is inevitable that there will be a battle among the TV stations, but the one with the biggest advantage is said to be that station.

Father and son together? If Shogo, the eldest son of Kazuhiro Kiyohara, becomes a professional baseball player, &#8220;that TV station&#8221; is rumored to have an overwhelming advantage in the coverage.

Father and son together? If Shogo, the eldest son of Kazuhiro Kiyohara, becomes a professional baseball player, “that TV station” is rumored to have an overwhelming advantage in the coverage.

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