Fans Speak / Gary Garland

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What number did Wells of the Daiei Hawks wear?

Angelo & Yuki wrote:

I've been living in Japan since 1989 and like the Daiei Hawks of the Pacific League. I remember a player that played for them in the mid to later 1980s named Wells. My wife (Japanese) is telling me that he wears #48, I'm saying he wears #51. Could you help us out with the right number please.

Gary Garland's Response

Hi Angelo:

You're thinking of Greg "Boomer" Wells, who actually played most of his career with the Hankyu Braves (now the Orix Blue Wave). He had one season with Daiei, 1992, wearing #23 while batting .271 with 26 homers and 97 RBIs in 129 games. He played first base.

Wells, a former Minnesota Twin, wore #44 while with Hankyu.

For his career, Wells batted .317 over ten seasons with 277 homers and 901 RBIs with an OPS of .927. He won two batting titles (1984 and 1989) and an MVP (1984) after winning a Triple Crown that year. He also won two Gold Gloves.

There was no player named Wells in the late 1980's for Daiei otherwise that I know of unless he was kept in the minors.

Take care,

Gary Garland

Japanese baseball writer

Baseball Guru

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