A legendary pitcher, ranked 2nd for the most wins in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) history, was arrested by police on suspicion of stealing 3,000 won worth of alcohol.
The Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki North Police Station arrested Tetsuya Yoneda (米田哲也·87) on the 25th as a suspect caught in the act of theft, according to reports from the Yomiuri Shimbun and others on the 26th. According to the police, Yoneda is accused of stealing two cans of shuhai (a drink made with shochu mixed with fruit juice and carbonated water) from a supermarket near his home at around 10:40 a.m. on the 25th. The amount is equivalent to 303 yen (about 3,000 won).
The store clerk witnessed him putting the cans in his pocket and attempting to leave the store without paying, and reported it to the police. Yoneda admitted to the crime during police questioning.
After joining the Hankyu Braves in 1956, Yoneda played for the Hanshin Tigers and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, appearing in 949 games, recording 350 wins, 285 losses, and 2 saves with an earned run average of 2.91. He ranks 2nd in NPB history for most wins, following Masayichi Kaneda (金田正一), who achieved 400 wins. In 2000, he was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.