Japanese baseball legend Sadaharu Oh speaks to the media at a press conference after the World Baseball Softball Confederation officials met with Tokyo Olympics organizers in Tokyo on Aug. 7, 2015. Japan’s career home run leader Oh is hospitalized with symptoms from COVID-19, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Ken Aragaki, File)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

TOKYO — Japan’s career home run leader Sadaharu Oh has been hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

Kyodo cited the Japanese club the SoftBank Hawks, where Oh is the club chairman. Kyodo said Oh was admitted to a hospital in southwestern Japan in Miyazaki Prefecture.

The agency said the 82-year-old Oh was admitted after complaining of a fever and throat pain. It gave no further details.

Oh hit 868 home runs in Japanese baseball and played for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants, primarily as a first baseman. He batted and threw left-handed.

Oh also held the single-season record in Japan of 55 home runs until Wladimir Balentien hit 60 in 2013.

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