Card Of The Week July 12

Shogo Akiyama's hitting streak reached 31 games today despite the 10-0 drubbing the Lions took at the hands of the Fighters.  Akiyama went 3-4 in the game, accounting for half of the six hits the Lions got.

Akiyama is now two games away from tying the NPB record for longest hitting streak.  That streak was set by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp's Yoshihiko Takahashi back in 1979.  The Lions only play two games this upcoming week due to the All Star break so Akiyama could tie the record on Wednesday but would have to wait until next Monday to break it.

1979 was a pretty good year for Takahashi.  In addition to his hitting streak, he also had a hit in all seven Nippon Series games, hitting .444 and winning the Series MVP as the Carp defeated the Kintetsu Buffaloes.  Here's his card from the 1982 Mizuno Menko set: